Comments on: Getting over laptop loss

There are some simple things you can do to reduce headaches after a laptop is stolen or misplaced.

[blueskydiver76]

You will be sorry.

My laptop biometrics built in. If an unrecognized dna has contact on the keypads for more than 60 seconds a laser (cleverly disguised as a Blue Ray DVD drive)pops out and kills any thief. Shortly afterwards the gps device is activated and the laptop sends me turn by turn directions courtesy of maps.google.

[thedreaming]

ROTFL

That reminds me of robocop 2 or 3 when a man tried to steal a car and the car grabbed the man and electrocuted him. The owner came up, removed the dead body and drove away.

[blueskydiver76]

You will be sorry.

My laptop biometrics built in. If an unrecognized dna has contact on the keypads for more than 60 seconds a laser (cleverly disguised as a Blue Ray DVD drive)pops out and kills any thief. Shortly afterwards the gps device is activated and the laptop sends me turn by turn directions courtesy of maps.google.

[thedreaming]

ROTFL

That reminds me of robocop 2 or 3 when a man tried to steal a car and the car grabbed the man and electrocuted him. The owner came up, removed the dead body and drove away.

[seandough999]

Two products - Easy solution

Compusec - FREE
SecureDOC - $

Google them and use what the big boys use.

[seandough999]

Two products - Easy solution

Compusec - FREE
SecureDOC - $

Google them and use what the big boys use.

backup for lost / stolen laptop files!

And just in case you're more concerned about losing data than protecting data, there are some great automated backup solutions that can give you immediate access to your laptop files - data deposit box http://www.datadepositbox.com and xdrive http://www.xdrive.com are great solutions.

backup for lost / stolen laptop files!

And just in case you're more concerned about losing data than protecting data, there are some great automated backup solutions that can give you immediate access to your laptop files - data deposit box http://www.datadepositbox.com and xdrive http://www.xdrive.com are great solutions.

[Tinned_Tuna]

Easily avoidable

This scenario of id theft is easily avoidable if you simply run as a non admin user, and use true crypt to encrypt the entire Documents and Settings\<usrname> and then have it mount as a drive. All the user's files are in there then, along with the settings and browser caches, and it just prompts you for a password at login, no biggy.

The only thing that I would miss if my laptop disappeared would be the hardware itself and maybe a day's worth of work that was 'in progress'. All is encrypted using the FileVault built into Mac OS X so no 'baddie' can grab my files, even if they could boot the computer to another OS and get to my hard drive (takes skill with Linux or other OS, most common theives don't have this skill.) all my files would be scrambled, not even encoded to myself. Even if I did this, I wouldn't be able to read the files.

[Tinned_Tuna]

Easily avoidable

This scenario of id theft is easily avoidable if you simply run as a non admin user, and use true crypt to encrypt the entire Documents and Settings\<usrname> and then have it mount as a drive. All the user's files are in there then, along with the settings and browser caches, and it just prompts you for a password at login, no biggy.

The only thing that I would miss if my laptop disappeared would be the hardware itself and maybe a day's worth of work that was 'in progress'. All is encrypted using the FileVault built into Mac OS X so no 'baddie' can grab my files, even if they could boot the computer to another OS and get to my hard drive (takes skill with Linux or other OS, most common theives don't have this skill.) all my files would be scrambled, not even encoded to myself. Even if I did this, I wouldn't be able to read the files.

[jschade]

One of the compromised

Let's see, in recent weeks the VA lost the Laptop, now recovered but not compromised they say, like we trust the FBI at this point :-) Well lucky me, I'm a vet...

Then the USDA got broken into, worked for them for two years...sigh

Lastly, the Navy had a recent breakin as well, as I mentioned I'm a Vet, just my luck, Navy :-()

So at this point, what, is it just better to put my info up on my website>!? :-)

Government is a slow cumbersome mechanism, change is hard, forced and painfull, and it doesn't usually react from other branches mistakes!

My solution, perhaps a centralized US Govt IT, various stations, different agencies, BUT one centralized office and policy, and the ability to react more quickly, adopt and adapt more efficiently in the ever changing world of IT.

[Macsaresafer]

"Thin computing" is a pipe dream.

IT folks have been dreaming about thin computing since the
dawn of personal computers in the late 70s. The idea is that you
have a central server location or locations that do all the data
storage and most of the 'real' processing. It has never worked,
and it won't ever work, since with every increasing in processing
power and bandwidth comes an even larger increase in demand.

Best bet, use File Vault as others have suggested, or use
encrypted disk images (see Disk Utility in Applications:Utilities
on your Macintosh) for all of your sensitive data.

[jschade]

One of the compromised

Let's see, in recent weeks the VA lost the Laptop, now recovered but not compromised they say, like we trust the FBI at this point :-) Well lucky me, I'm a vet...

Then the USDA got broken into, worked for them for two years...sigh

Lastly, the Navy had a recent breakin as well, as I mentioned I'm a Vet, just my luck, Navy :-()

So at this point, what, is it just better to put my info up on my website>!? :-)

Government is a slow cumbersome mechanism, change is hard, forced and painfull, and it doesn't usually react from other branches mistakes!

My solution, perhaps a centralized US Govt IT, various stations, different agencies, BUT one centralized office and policy, and the ability to react more quickly, adopt and adapt more efficiently in the ever changing world of IT.

[Macsaresafer]

"Thin computing" is a pipe dream.

IT folks have been dreaming about thin computing since the
dawn of personal computers in the late 70s. The idea is that you
have a central server location or locations that do all the data
storage and most of the 'real' processing. It has never worked,
and it won't ever work, since with every increasing in processing
power and bandwidth comes an even larger increase in demand.

Best bet, use File Vault as others have suggested, or use
encrypted disk images (see Disk Utility in Applications:Utilities
on your Macintosh) for all of your sensitive data.

[skooter500]

Encript and backup with free tools

I got into computers in the time of tapes and 5 1/4" disks, so got used to backing stuff up!

Now I use Steganos Security Suite (which I got for free on the cover of a magazine) to encript my sensitive files and SyncToy Power Toy from Microsoft to backup my files to a server share and an external HDD. I have 2 laptops. Its no big deal if one got swiped. Backups are so important

Bryan

[skooter500]

Encript and backup with free tools

I got into computers in the time of tapes and 5 1/4" disks, so got used to backing stuff up!

Now I use Steganos Security Suite (which I got for free on the cover of a magazine) to encript my sensitive files and SyncToy Power Toy from Microsoft to backup my files to a server share and an external HDD. I have 2 laptops. Its no big deal if one got swiped. Backups are so important

Bryan

[skooter500]

Encript and backup with free tools

I got into computers in the time of tapes and 5 1/4" disks, so got used to backing stuff up!

Now I use Steganos Security Suite (which I got for free on the cover of a magazine) to encript my sensitive files and SyncToy Power Toy from Microsoft to backup my files to a server share and an external HDD. I have 2 laptops. Its no big deal if one got swiped. Backups are so important

Bryan

[skooter500]

Encript and backup with free tools

I got into computers in the time of tapes and 5 1/4" disks, so got used to backing stuff up!

Now I use Steganos Security Suite (which I got for free on the cover of a magazine) to encript my sensitive files and SyncToy Power Toy from Microsoft to backup my files to a server share and an external HDD. I have 2 laptops. Its no big deal if one got swiped. Backups are so important

Bryan

[gsm590]

Buyer beware

Popular and highly publisized programs such as LoJack for laptops provide inadiquite protection for you computer.

Unlike the LoJack vehicle antitheft device, LoJack for laptops and simular programs do not have a built in transmitter. They are pieces of software that can only work effectively if a stolen laptop is connected to the internet. This means that as long as thieves does not connect the stolen laptop to the internet, they can attempt to look over sensitive information, or simply pawn-off your computer, with no problem.

Now that LoJack for laptops is a widely used and advertised product, awareness of the product and its how to counter it has risen. The likely hood of recovering a stolen laptop has in all likely hood diminished, since thieves now know it exist and may take appropriate counter measures.

Don?t get me wrong, the program is still effective if a thief doesn?t suspect the laptop he/she stole has LoJack, but the chances of that are diminishing with every add for the product.

Not gettting your laptop stolen, file backup and encryption are your best options
Encryption

[gsm590]

Buyer beware

Popular and highly publisized programs such as LoJack for laptops provide inadiquite protection for you computer.

Unlike the LoJack vehicle antitheft device, LoJack for laptops and simular programs do not have a built in transmitter. They are pieces of software that can only work effectively if a stolen laptop is connected to the internet. This means that as long as thieves does not connect the stolen laptop to the internet, they can attempt to look over sensitive information, or simply pawn-off your computer, with no problem.

Now that LoJack for laptops is a widely used and advertised product, awareness of the product and its how to counter it has risen. The likely hood of recovering a stolen laptop has in all likely hood diminished, since thieves now know it exist and may take appropriate counter measures.

Don?t get me wrong, the program is still effective if a thief doesn?t suspect the laptop he/she stole has LoJack, but the chances of that are diminishing with every add for the product.

Not gettting your laptop stolen, file backup and encryption are your best options
Encryption

[jmsend]

Forget all of the stickers and software methods of registering your expensive equipment. Everything has a serial number, just register the serial number and it is tracked forever. Most of the time you can't remove the serial number since it is in the BIOS or other ROM of the phone, laptop, GPS. Register your stuff at www.assettmate.com

[axelboss3323]

I've lost mine and GOT IT BACK!!!! such a great feeling

I had a Rewarding Return label on it and the finder reported it found and got their reward. It worked seemlessly :)

http://www.rewardingreturn.com you won't regret it I promise

[compmaster01]

I am using a free version of Mobile SafePatrol - www.laptopmobilesecurity.com It is enough for what I need and I can always switch to the professional version even after my laptop is stolen. I was referred to this website by my son and so far I like what it does...

[jmsend]

Forget all of the stickers and software methods of registering your expensive equipment. Everything has a serial number, just register the serial number and it is tracked forever. Most of the time you can't remove the serial number since it is in the BIOS or other ROM of the phone, laptop, GPS. Register your stuff at www.assettmate.com

[asender]

"Assettmate.com is a new database enabling people to enter details of assets they have purchased, whether new or second hand. This means that in the event of theft or loss of their precious item, the asset can be tracked by means of the serial number. By logging on to the database you can enter all relevant details of your asset, including photographs, so that you have a record for insurance and warranty purposes. Should you wish to sell the item, you have all relevant details at hand.

The process is simple: when you purchase an item you will be given a serial number for the goods purchased. Enter the details on www.assettmate.com and any other particulars that are useful to know, such as date of purchase and vendor's details. You will no longer need a filing cabinet full of messy paperwork and at last you will feel organised and secure, knowing details of your precious possessions are safely stored. Assettmate.com is free for all users."