Technologies that can help save your company's laptops and data. TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN HELP SAVE YOUR COMPANY’S LAPTOPS Cable Locks Makers: Anchor Pad, Kensington, Kryptonite, others Cost: $30-$70 Pro: Stops petty theft Con: Inconvenient Cable locks are about as simple as it gets. Think basic bicycle locks for your laptop. The idea here is you chain it to your desk so that while you’re in the bathroom or grabbing a cup of coffee, no one can walk off with it. Motion Alarms Makers: Caveo, TrackIt Cost: $50-$100 Pro: Could deter thieves Cons: Alarm could trigger accidentally, limited range Wouldn’t it be nice if your laptop could holler “Stop! Thief!”? In effect, that’s what motion alarms do. If your laptop is vulnerable, the alarm goes off, and presumably thieves aren’t going to want to carry around a shrieking notebook Tracking Devices Makers: Computrace, CyberAngel, Stealth Signal, others Cost: $20-$60 (Computrace and CyberAngel also have yearly fees) Pro: Some versions delete data Cons: Varying police cooperation, requires perp to connect to Net Think LoJack for your laptop. Tracking devices secretly send a message whenever the computer is logged on to the Internet, allowing it to be tracked and recovered. Some also are set up to delete the data on the machine once it’s plugged in, which can offer some protection. TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN HELP SAVE YOUR COMPANY’S DATA Encryption Makers: Various Cost: Varies Pro: Protects most data Cons: Inconvenient, potential for lost passwords Hard drives with encryption software use algorithms to take stored files and make sure they can be read only by those who have the key. There are a variety of ways to implement encryption schemes on a laptop; IBM has even built an algorithm into a chip in its laptops. Encryption is also getting easier to use, addressing a longstanding issue with the software. Fingerprint Biometrics Maker: TargusCost: $80 Pro: Simple concept Con: Unreliable Let your fingers do the talking, at least as far as getting at your data is concerned. Fingerprint biometrics made by Targus is offered as an option by Gateway and others. Tokens Makers: Authenex A-Key, SecuriKey, othersCost: $15-$129 Pro: Can’t forget password Cons: People lose their keys, have to remember to keep it with you Just like having an ignition key for your computer. A token is a USB-device that’s small enough to fit onto a key chain, and stores authentication data. Without it, no one can access files on your computer. Some devices offer more security features as well. Motion-Activated Encryption Makers: Caveo, TargusCost: $50-$100 Pros: Prohibits access, encrypts dataCon: Could go off at wrong time This motion alarm does more than just sound an alarm; it automatically encrypts data and prevents access to the screen if it believes a laptop has been stolen. Remote Data Wiping Makers: Computrace, CoreStreetCost: $50-$80 Pro: Prevents damage from employee theft Con: Not widely used, so battle testing is needed Remote data wiping devices vary, but in general they work by sending messages that either vaporize the contents of a hard drive or lock them so that they can’t be read. They can depend on someone reconnecting to the Internet, but in the case of CoreStreet’s device, it’s designed to disable the laptop after a certain period even if it is never reconnected. Related content brandpost How an integrated platform approach improves OT security By Richard Springer Sep 26, 2023 5 mins Security news Teachers urged to enter schoolgirls into UK’s flagship cybersecurity contest CyberFirst Girls aims to introduce girls to cybersecurity, increase diversity, and address the much-maligned skills shortage in the sector. By Michael Hill Sep 26, 2023 4 mins Back to School Education Industry IT Training news CREST, IASME to deliver UK NCSC’s Cyber Incident Exercising scheme CIE scheme aims to help organisations find quality service providers that can advise and support them in practising cyber incident response plans. By Michael Hill Sep 26, 2023 3 mins IT Governance Frameworks Incident Response Data and Information Security news Baffle releases encryption solution to secure data for generative AI Solution uses the advanced encryption standard algorithm to encrypt sensitive data throughout the generative AI pipeline. By Michael Hill Sep 26, 2023 3 mins Encryption Generative AI Data and Information Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe