Someone has just had to buy a new laptop, but they are rather trusting by nature and also absent minded; i can just see it *walking-off* in no time at all, especially at the coffe shop.
One of those steel cables that lock into the laptop seems an obvious answer, but there is not always somewhere handy to connect the cable to. Any other suggestions please ?
Laptops are so emminently stealable that your best (and only) security is vigilence. If the "someone" paid for it with their own money I would suggest that after it's been stolen they might well be slightly less trusting and absent minded.
It would need to be armed and disarmed and someone absent minded probably isn't going to remember to do that. Even if they *are* reminded by the thing going off then their trusting nature will ensure that they don't bother arming it in the first place.
I found from experience with my children at least, if you want them to look after something, make them buy it themselves. Mobile phones & laptops gifted to them will have a very short life otherwise.
There is malware (aka security software) that does an ET phone home action when the stolen PC is next connected to the internet.
The steel cable only really works to stop opportunist thieves of the sort that got our technical directors PC - smash and grab through an external ground floor window. It wasn't chained down so that was it.
The laptop can still end up knackered even with a Kensington lock as the thief will give it a damn good pull and then drop it before running off. Had this happen once in a front office in Belgium - someone came in off the street distracted the secretary and then tried to run off with her laptop. It didn't bounce particularly well :(
The best solution is to buy a cheap second hand ex-lease laptop if you do not need the latest & greatest Apple.
- An example would be a Thinkpad X60 or X61 or T61 or T400 or T500 with fingerprint reader.
- Second hand prices are X60 =A3150, X61 =A3165, T61 =A3189, T400 =A3240, T=
500 =A3299 (from some online shopping TV channel).
- Avoid any Thinkpad with ATI or nVidia and go with Intel onboard graphics - reason being solder/chip problems which a BGA solder reflow only temporarily fixes.
Fingerprint Readers, BIOS & hard drive password security on Thinkpads tends to make them a little less disposable (can still be stripped for parts). I recall some Dell have similar, but transferring the warranty on a Dell is usually impossible - whereas any factory warranty on a Thinkpad is with the machine.
Likewise fitting an obviously non-UK keyboard, makes it visually less appealing.
Laptops with onboard camera can have a photo & phone home software app BTW, a better solution if you have an =A3800-1700 Apple.
Suggest fingerprint scanner for login, Dropbox for data synchronisation (don't keep data ONLY on the machine), and tracking software like preyproject
formatting link
Get it securely marked with SmartWater, and visibly label accordingly.
As an above paranonia, go for whole hard drive encryption and implement both hard drive and bios passwords. Encorage network application access via VPN.
Steel cable is good. Accompany the laptop with a ferocious dog* and attach it to that, when away from the table.
Some people are congenitally hopeless. My SiL takes CDs off the deck and just puts them in the nearest empty CD case - so you can never find any CD you want to play. A woman I was speaking to at lunch was heating some wax on the stove to use while tie-dying, went upstairs and forgot about the wax. Result: BOOM!
The above are examples of the lesser- and greater-trouble you can get into if you are a flake of one sort or another. I don't know what to do about it, as such people are *immune* to injections of common-sense.
It is trivially quick and easy to use a TrueCrypt encrypted drive for all your data, browser cache, site login details, emails and documents. It won't stop anyone stealing the computer but it will stop them accessing any of your personal information and stealing your identity too.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.