Saturday, November 26, 2011

12 Safety Pointers to Protect Your Notebook Whilst Travelling

By Jason Sloan


The major reason for information loss during travel is loss of the laptop computer itself. Reports imply that over in the USA alone, there's an average weekly record of 12,000 laptops lost by business travellers in airports. Incredibly, only 33% of these computers are reclaimed by their owners.

The factors behind such loss are the frenzied rush to catch flights, the abundance of bags that travelers usually carry (bags, briefcase, mobile phones, PDA and laptop) and checkpoint security procedures which need you to be separated from your baggage during scans and pat-down processes.

To help minimise the hazards of losing your info during travel, here are 12 security tips you should use:

Back up your data before you travel.

Use encryption technologies to secure secret or delicate info. You can even back up info on an encrypted USB flash drive which you can carry separately from your laptop PC

Use laptop PC data recovery and data protection software. Macs come equipped with Computrace LoJack for Computers which can send tracking information on the stolen laptop PC and also wipe hard drive information remotely.

Keep your portable laptop inconspicuous. Keeping them in laptop bags is rather obvious and simply publicizes them to would-be thieves. Have them put away in tote bags or backpacks with laptop computer compartments.

Map out in advance who to call and what to do if your portable computer gets mislaid.

Label your laptop computer with your full contact information so that if it gets into the hands of truthful airport personnel, they can instantly get in touch with you. You might actually have the company name, symbol and contact details imprinted on the outside.

Make allowance for enough check-in and boarding time. Being in a hurry will preoccupy your mind with missing the flight that you are going to fail to look after your possessions.

Carry less and count how many items you carry. At each checkpoint, count the things again. Don't ever forget to put back what you've taken out of your bag,eg i-devices.

While traveling, remember that signing into unsecured wireless networks considerably increases the probabilities that a hacker gain access to your portable laptop and its information.

Avoid accessing banking and money records during travel.

Deselect the "remember me" button when browsing the internet in order to stop thieves from stealing your usernames and passwords.

Clear your web history and cache after using web browser. This makes sure that your personal information are erased and therefore inaccessible to identity thieves.




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