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Prevent Laptop Theft

Laptop thefts on campus have increased 300% over the last year. As of mid-April, 21 laptops have already been stolen in 2009 alone. And you may be surprised to learn that the majority of these laptops were owned by faculty and staff, not students.

"Staff members leave their office doors wide open, thinking because there are other co-workers around on their floor they must not be at high risk" said Sergeant Kurt Feavel of the UW Police Department. But thieves are opportunistic; they know that computers left unattended in conference rooms, offices and computer labs are ripe for the picking.

The UWPD and the Office of Campus Information Security (OCIS) are teaming up to provide both students and staff tips and resources for securing their laptops and other computing devices.

1ST LINE OF DEFENSE

Delete It If at all possible, don't keep any restricted data on your laptop. Restricted data includes things like social security numbers, credit card account numbers and other personally identifiable information. You'd be surprised how easy it is to forget that this information is stored on your computer.

Encrypt It OCIS recommends that you search your computer for restricted data and delete it.  If that's not possible, then be sure you protect it by encrypting your laptop. Campus now has a site license for data encryption software called McAfee Endpoint Encryption. 

Back It Up And regardless of what's stored on your computer, you should always keep a back up of important files in the event your laptop is lost or stolen. Your thesis, research or other work files may be irreplaceable. Be sure to back it up regularly to portable media (e.g., thumb drive, DVD) available at the DoIT Tech Store, store files on My WebSpace or use Bucky Backup.

PROTECT YOURSELF IN HIGH RISK SITUATIONS

Lock It Up Even if you're stepping away from your office for just a few minutes, lock it up. The DoIT Tech Store has cable locks or you could invest in a global positioning system (GPS). Neither of these is a failsafe, of course.

Change Your Routine A few small adjustments to your regular routine will keep the odds in your favor that a thief will pass you by and look for an easier target.

Airports: Don't put your laptop through the security line first. Instead, put it in the middle of your items or last. That way you can keep a better eye on it, and a thief can't make the excuse that he thought it was his if it's in the middle of your items.

Coffee Shops, Libraries: Make it difficult for a thief to walk away with your computer. Sit far away from exits, and if you do leave your device unattended, ask two people (not just one) to keep their eyes on it.

Cars, Hotels: Put your laptop in your trunk before you reach your destination so that eager eyes don't see you put it there as you park. And if you're staying at a hotel, lock it up and store it away. It's very easy for someone to dart in and out of your room if the door is left open while hotel staff is cleaning your room.

DIFFERENTIATE YOUR LAPTOP AND DEVICES

OCIS and the UW Police Department are bringing the STOP program (Security Tracking of Office Property) to campus. STOP lets you register your laptop into a nationwide database and receive a special placard to secure to your laptop. The placard is virtually indestructible, and if it is removed, there is clear evidence that the laptop has been tampered with, making it more difficult for a thief to resell. Stay tuned for details.

Other options for differentiating your laptop and devices include laptop stickers, etching the serial number into the plastic, using white out or bright markers to distinguish it from others. None of these strategies will prevent your laptop from being stolen, but it might be just enough of a deterrent for a thief to move on to the next person. Stop by the DoIT Tech Store for free campus laptop stickers.