How to Stop Laptop Theft

If you run a small business, your biggest IT worry is probably not when or whether to upgrade to Vista; it's how to keep your valuable equipment--and the even more precious data it contains--out of the hands of thieves. Laptops and mobile gadgets like cell phones, PDAs, and USB flash drives have become a necessity in many business settings. And such equipment now spends more time than ever outside the office, as employees work at home or in the nearest Starbucks.
That development presents a huge opportunity for loss and theft. Laptop thefts out of parked cars and conference rooms may grab headlines, but a far greater number of devices simply get left behind in places like cabs, subways, and airplanes. YouGetItBack.com reports that La Guardia airport alone has accumulated more than 70,000 unclaimed laptops and PDAs in its lost and found. According to Accenture, 10 to 15 percent of all handheld computers, PDAs, mobile phones, and pagers are eventually lost by their owners.
Laptops have become increasingly attractive targets for identity thieves, too. A 2006 Ponemon Institute study reported an 81 percent increase in the number of companies reporting stolen laptops between 2005 and 2006. Even notebooks that never leave the office can be targets, as many thefts are inside jobs.
Most small businesses can weather the physical loss of a laptop or two, especially if their insurance policy covers the hardware. But the files on the machine may raise more-troubling issues: They can hold trade secrets or financial and customer data; they may not be backed up on a central server; and losing them may trigger embarrassing public reporting requirements under several recent federal and state laws.
According to a 2007 survey by McAfee and Datamonitor, a data breach involving personal customer information could cost a company, on average, $268,000 in reporting expenses--even if the data is never used. And one-third of the companies surveyed said that a major security breach had the potential to put them out of business entirely.
You can take several key steps to protect both your laptops and your data. By adopting these measures, you'll greatly reduce your risk of losing key hardware and data.
Track Your Laptop With an ID
The first step is to slap an ID tag on each laptop, BlackBerry, digital camera, and USB key your business owns, and record it with a recovery service. An astonishingly large number of businesses never record even the serial numbers of their equipment, police say, making it impossible for authorities to reunite found items with their rightful owners. Tracking tags give you an opportunity to enter serial number information as you tag each item, after which you can use the recovery service as a basic inventory system. (You should definitely maintain serial-number records, as well as purchase receipts, in case of insurance claims.)
Recovery services report recovery rates of 75 percent and higher on tagged items. Evidently, most people who find laptops are honest, and by offering prepaid returns and a reward on the tag (which lists an 800 number), the service makes it easy to do the right thing.
The services have you register each item on the Web, with identifying information; then they contact you to arrange return if an item is found. The price is nominal, usually around $5-$10 per label, with quantity discounts. Vendors that offer labeling and recovery services include ArmorTag, BoomerangIt, StuffBak, TrackItBack, YouGetItBack.com, and zReturn.

Nice article.

Is it yours, or are you quoting a source?
I only ask because copyright, and so forth, are becoming an increasing area of concern on the Internet.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/technology/pcworld/article190128.html
http://tech.yahoo.com/gd/how-to-stop-laptop-theft/204549
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/141388/how_to_stop_laptop_theft.html

Draw your own conclusions.

I suspected as much, for a variety of reasons.

I point out to the original poster that it is best to, at the least "quote" the article via the Insert Quote button -- even better still to provide a link, or at least the name of the author.

I suspected as much, for a variety of reasons.

I point out to the original poster that it is best to, at the least "quote" the article via the Insert Quote button -- even better still to provide a link, or at least the name of the author.

It's called leeching...Nobody likes leechers, even on Sythe.org, the lowest of all forums.

actually, it's called Plagiarism.
"leeching" is just a meaningless term used by those of inferior intelligence whose vocabulary doesn't consist of real words that are longer then 5 or 6 letters.

No offense, of course.

actually, it's called Plagiarism.
"leeching" is just a meaningless term used by those of inferior intelligence whose vocabulary doesn't consist of real words that are longer then 5 or 6 letters.

No offense, of course.

Actually, leeching does have a meaning. Leeching, is the act of being like a leech, sucking off the host (or plagiarizing). It might not be an OFFICIAL word in whatever dictionary you want, but that's what it means.

And btw, leeching is a real word by the CHF Spell Check...

leeching is what a leech does. any other usage is metaphorical based on that.

leeching is what a leech does. any other usage is metaphorical based on that.

Just deal with the fact that saying "He's leeching." is gramatically correct. It may be metaphorical, but it still works.

Except you never said "he's leeching" you said:

It's called leeching

And it isn't. It's called plagiarism. Deal with that.

Except you never said "he's leeching"

But I did say that saying "He's leeching." is grammatically correct.

Guys, this is a computer issues forum, not a grammar police forum.  Enough!

Just smack them with it when they try an take it.  Personally there is a free way of doing it which I havent worked out since know one is willing to help me with part of it.  I can however get the other part working but know way to read the code its self.

Most thefts, from what I understand, are not direct -- the target is not directly confronted.  Laptops are stolen when no one is around, or when people are distracted.  Airport security checks, and the distractions they provide, are a prime example of a high-theft situation.

I suppose the best distraction is one you never see comeing but are on the look out for.

looks like spammer, best way to prevent laptop theft is using common sense.

using common sense.

Applies to most things, doesn't it?   

Applies to most things, doesn't it?   

remarkable how most things can be prevented using common sense.

... but people do take advantage.  You can do your best to keep track of your bags when moving through airport security, but you can be distracted or otherwise taken advantage of, and off goes the laptop.

We tend to blame people for not knowing better, but you know what?  No one should be trying to steal your stuff!

... but people do take advantage.  You can do your best to keep track of your bags when moving through airport security, but you can be distracted or otherwise taken advantage of, and off goes the laptop.

We tend to blame people for not knowing better, but you know what?  No one should be trying to steal your stuff!

Not trying to start an argument, Most of the time when laptops are stolen, it because people carelessly put themselves in positions in which their laptops can be stolen, which can be prevented by using common sense. But I agree with you people should not be stealing in the first place, but thieves don't share the same view. 

I knew you weren't arguing -- and it was as much a reminder to myself -- yes, too many people are careless, but some are victims of timing or circumstance.

... or misplaced trust.

is the face recognition on laptop getting any better or is the fingerprint reader on laptop any good?

[Moderator]

is the face recognition on laptop getting any better or is the fingerprint reader on laptop any good?

No.

I don't know...my laptop asks, "You, again?!" and then shuts down.   

[Moderator]

See Here...