Laptops are all the rage these days, but they're easily stolen, even from places you think are safe, like work. Even if you just lose a laptop, you probably don't want anyone to have easy access to all your data just by pressing the power button.
That's why the first step (definitely not the last, but the first step to protecting your laptop) is to put strong password protection on your user accounts. Most people think this is a pain, but it's easy to set up and a small price to pay in inconvenience to keep your data safe.
Windows
Go to Control Panel and choose User Accounts.
Choose the Advanced tab.
Check the box that says Require users to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete.
Press OK.
If that's not how your Windows machine looks, try this from the User Accounts screen:
Click Change the way users log on or off.
Uncheck the welcome screen option.
This forces a user to enter a username and password when they log in.
Now go back to the Control Panel and open Display Options. Click the Screen Saver tab.
Check the option that makes the screen saver ask for a password.
Then press OK.
Finally go back to the Control Panel and this time choose Power Options.
Select the Advanced tab. And make sure you check the box by Prompt for password when the computer resumes from standby.
Press OK.
Mac
Go to System Preferences and choose Security.
Check Disable automatic log-in.
Check Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screen saver.
Now you need to take other action like logging out of accounts, encrypting data, and so on. But you're on the right track to a safer laptop setup. Just in case.
(Credit:
Front Door Software)
Various security systems help you keep your laptop safe from thieves. But a new feature added to Front Door Software's Retriever product lets your machine give audible and visual warnings that can be activated remotely.
For example, if your laptop is stolen, you can activate The Retriever's talk feature to shout something like, "Help! You are not my owner! This laptop is stolen! Please call the police!" and at the same time display related information on the screen instantly. Or you can customize the warning to your liking.
The program also includes a standard start-up preventive warning message. For users with multiple laptops, there's a way of sending customized warnings and messages to more than one laptop at once.
Aside from making noise and creating visual warnings, The Retriever allows for remotely locking down the computer with a secret code to protect private information, or sending a "heartfelt text message" to the thief or getting a Google map of where the laptop is located.
It's unclear, however, how the owner can communicate to the lost laptop. I would assume that's only possible when the laptop is used to connect to the Internet.
This seems an original way to retrieve a notebook as long as the thief is not technologically savvy enough to disable the sound or uninstall the software completely.
The Retriever works with Windows Vista, XP, and Mac OS X. You can get it for $29.95, which includes a three-year license or try it free for 90 days.
Related stories:
Computer security gets a new meaning in this mockup from Yanko Design, a "Web magazine dedicated to introducing the best modern international design." We can't think of too many people who would risk checking their e-mail on your laptop with this laptop finger trap installed.
The designer calls it "an analog extension is used for deterrence of unsolicited use of your own laptop." We call it the new No. 1 item on our stocking stuffer holiday gift list.
(Credit:
Yanko Design)
(Credit:
Yanko Design)
You've read the reports: Someone steals a laptop loaded with personal data. Maybe you've even received a letter explaining that your records were on a stolen piece of computer equipment. Attribute it to media hype if you want, but protecting data on ever-more-mobile hardware has to be a concern to businesses and their clients.
And this is why Lenovo announced plans to load select ThinkPads with software that works in conjunction with the laptop's fingerprint reader to encrypt the data on the hard drive. According to the company, the software meets encryption standards for U.S. government systems. (Take note, ING, Deloitte, EDS, Aetna, HP, Fidelity, the State of Florida, and others whose data has been exposed because of hardware theft.)
Meanwhile, Lenovo has also announced plans to update all ThinkPad lines with the option of Intel Core 2 Duo processors; at this point the manufacturer's Web site is showing the new processors only on T-series and R-series models. We're expecting review units in CNET Labs soon and will let you know how they run--if we can get past the security measures.
(Photo: CNET)
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