Tablets, laptops require extra physical security considerations

There are enough threats to contend with when you are working on a computer workstation on a hard-wired network. When you work wirelessly, with a tablet or laptop, there are even more problems to deal with.

Chief among them is physical theft. Because a tablet or laptop is completely portable, it can easily be lost or stolen. Remember, if you can carry away your tablet or laptop, someone else can, too.

Never let your tablet or laptop go unattended. If you have to leave your office, lock your door or put your tablet or laptop in a desk. Never leave a tablet or laptop in a car. You should be especially careful not to load sensitive files on a portable device, particularly those containing personal information concerning identity such as names, Social Security numbers, phone numbers, ages or addresses, or proprietary fiscal information.

You do, however, want to record the serial number and any other identifying data for your device to identify it in case it turns up later, should it be stolen. And it’s not a bad idea to put your contact information on it so that if someone does later recover it, they can contact you.

If you are a student, take care never to leave your tablet or laptop unattended while studying in the library or while waiting outside a classroom.

An open-source application for tracking laptops and tablets is the free Prey program, which is available for Windows, Mac OS, iOS, Linux and Android devices. After you download the app to your computer, it stays hidden in the background. The program uses your tablet’s or laptop’s GPS capability or the nearest Wi-Fi hotspots to find its location.

For Macs and iPads, if you have already configured the iCloud Find My iPhone service you can use it to locate your missing device, display a message on its screen, make it play a sound at full volume (even if on mute), remotely lock it, or remotely wipe (erase) it to protect your privacy.

 

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