Some Laptop Security Tips

Once again, it's that time of year when you'll be leaving campus on Spring Break, perhaps even heading for sunnier climes in order to enjoy that much-needed R&R. However, before you throw that last tube of suntan lotion in your suitcase and head for the beach, we want to remind you of some important security measures, not only for your laptop, but for your stuff in general.

Leaving Your Laptop Behind?

As usual, common sense prevails. If you won't be taking your laptop with you while you're away for Spring Break, the most important thing you can do is to make sure it's well secured. Students who received their laptops last fall received a security cable with their machines, but those users who don't already have one should definitely consider getting one, as they provide a quick, inexpensive, and effective means of securing a laptop.

Another thing to do before you leave is to check all doors and windows in your residence hall room to make sure it's completely closed and secured; don't even leave windows open a crack for ventilation! This is obviously especially true if you happen to live on the ground floor. In addition, don't leave your laptop or other valuables in plain sight, where vandals might be tempted to break the windows and make off with your stuff; as much as possible, hide your valuables in your closet, or under your bed, and so forth. As we said....use common sense.

Taking Your Laptop with You?

For those of you who will be travelling with your laptop during the break, CIS and the campus' department of Public Safety offer some of these pointers:

• Make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date, and scan your machine for any viruses.

• Check your laptop computer's battery and make sure it's fully charged. If you take your machine through an airport, the security checkpoint personnel may ask you to turn on the computer to prove it isn't a suspicious device.

• Keep your laptop with you at all times, especially while in a public place.

• Never leave your laptop in open view in your car; lock it in the trunk! But, of course, don't leave it there for any great length of time; exposure to either extreme cold or heat can damage the machine.

• Carry your laptop in an unassuming, well-padded bag, or the backpack you received with your machine in the fall of 1999 or 2000. Doing this avoids any unwanted attention that a traditional laptop bag or fancy leather briefcase can generate.

• Always use your laptop in a cool, dry place.....don't think you can take your machine to the beach and not run into trouble down the road! (You wouldn't believe some of the stories Rensselaer Computer Repair has heard.)

For Later in the Semester...

As a final word of caution, please keep in mind that the theft rate tends to increase rather sharply at the end of the semester. Why? Well, as you spend more and more of your time finishing those final projects and studying for exams, you get tired, and stressed out, and it's easy to become just a little careless. It gets easy to say "It'll only take me a minute to get a cup of coffee over in the Library," or "I don't want to have to pack up all my stuff just to go to the restroom."

Don't let yourself become a victim!
Work with a buddy or group of friends who can watch your laptop and other belongings while you're gone, or do as much of your work as possible in a more secure area, such as your dorm room, where you can at least lock the door against possible thieves.

Remember, it all comes down to using your common sense. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and making an effort to secure your laptop and other valuables will help ensure that you have a great, worry-free break, and a less stressful time during that end-of-the-semester crunch!

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