SAYYING NO TO NOTEBOOK THIEVES

If you travel with your notebook, you’re always worried about thieves. Here’s how to stop computer kleptos with this bag of hardware and software tricks.

You may have all the data security tools you need – firewall, antivirus program, and antispyware protection. But what if a thief slips into your office or hotel room or breaks into the trunk of your car – and tries to walk away with your trusty computer?

Protecting your desktop PC is easier. My first experience successfully foiling a theft came in 1991 when a burglar broke into my home. I lost some valuables, but my PC was safe because I had secured it with a Kablit Security Package kit, still available for $50. The thief had just a few minutes to grab the easy stuff; the PC, wrapped in steel cables, apparently looked like too much of a hassle.

If you’re really worried, get Kablit’s $145 enclosure for your entire tower.

I keep my laptop locked to my desk with an AnchorPad Security plate. The same plate is available today for about $75.

Because I don’t want my notebook stolen when I take it on a trip, I keep my eyes on it. But for added security — say, when I’m at a symposium and I doze off during a boring lecture — I use a $50 Targus DefCon Ultra.

The thin, steel cable isn’t terribly secure (I’m guessing that wire clippers would slice through it), but the locking device sets off a piercing tone if the cable is touched.

If my notebook does sprout wings, perhaps from a hotel room, the thief is in for a big surprise. Without a special key from SecuriKey inserted into the USB port, my notebook just won’t boot.

The CD-ROM drive is locked down, too, so booting from it is impossible.

SecuriKey also frustrates computer-savvy crooks who try to boot with a floppy or external drive. Check out the $120 SecuriKey.

When traveling, you can keep your notebook’s data safe by removing the hard drive and stashing it in another location. If the data it contains is critical, keep it on a flash thumb drive and then load it on your notebook when you need it.

A second option is biometrically protected storage, which uses your fingerprint as a password equivalent. ThinkCP’s 1GB biometric flash drive costs $289.

Frankly, I don’t go this far, but the truly diligent would.

If your notebook or PC is stolen, you’ll want to replace it, so think insurance. My homeowner’s insurance covers me only at home..

Check your coverage; you may need a business policy at the office.

The alternative I use is a policy from an insurer that specializes in covering PCs. I use an Israeli company. One choice in America is Safeware; with no deductible, the premium on a new $1500 notebook is $90 per year.

Dennis Turner