| Hundreds of thousands of laptop computers are | | | | Engraving your laptop computer |
| stolen every year, yet only a tiny percentage of | | | | Permanently engraving your precious notebook may |
| those laptops are ever recovered! Most notebooks | | | | seem like a drastic measure, but marking the outer |
| are swiped when they are left unattended in offices, | | | | case of the laptop with your phone number and |
| hotel conference rooms, taxi cabs, and public places | | | | address, may deter thieves and, if stolen, increase |
| such as airports and restaurants. | | | | the chance of having the laptop returned to you. |
| When your laptop is sold on the street, valuable data | | | | Laptop motion detectors |
| is lost with it. Sometimes the data, not the computer, | | | | Equipping your notebook with a motion detector |
| is the real target. A devious thief with access to | | | | alarm that sets of a loud noise if it is moved. Such an |
| personal details stored on your laptop's hard drive | | | | alarm might cause a thief to discard the laptop. An |
| such as, name, address, date of birth, bank details, | | | | interesting variation is a small radio transmitter that |
| and social security number, could wreak havoc with | | | | triggers an alarm when a notebook moves more than |
| your personal finances and credit rating. | | | | 10-20 feet away from a receiver kept in your purse, |
| There have been many high profile victims of laptop | | | | wallet or pocket. Such an alarm would certainly alert |
| theft. Recently a laptop computer was stolen from | | | | the thousands of people a year who simply leave |
| California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's press | | | | their laptops in taxis. |
| secretary, Margita Thompson. Access to confidential | | | | Laptop tracking |
| political data may have been the prominent motive | | | | Stolen laptops can be electronically traced using a |
| behind the theft of this notebook. | | | | software tracking code installed inside the laptop's |
| Protecting your laptop computer | | | | hard drive. Tracing programs, such as Cyberangel |
| Recently IBM has created a fingerprint reader for | | | | work when the laptop connects to the Internet and |
| select Thinkpad T42 models, that could well be the | | | | secretly reports the location of the laptop. |
| future of laptop security. The fingerprint reader | | | | Computrace Personal offers a similar service through |
| creates a biometric layer of security almost | | | | a three year contract and agrees to pay up to $1000 |
| impossible to breach, but what about the rest of us | | | | if your notebook computer is not recovered in thirty |
| with older notebooks? | | | | days. Ztrace is a company offering an interesting |
| Below you'll find 4 useful ways to protect your laptop | | | | twist to laptop tracking. They offer a facility to |
| computer. | | | | remotely delete or encrypt sensitive files on your |
| Laptop cable locks | | | | laptop after it is stolen. |
| Cable locks should deter the casual pilferer. Many | | | | The portability of laptop computers is both a boon to |
| laptops are equipped with a Universal Security Slot | | | | busy executives and to laptop thieves. Learning to |
| (USS) that allows the notebook to be attached to a | | | | secure your notebook will thwart their efforts and |
| cable lock. They can be purchased cheaply at office | | | | keep your laptop and precious data safe! |
| supply outlets and computer stores. | | | | |