December 2007

LAPTOP LARCENY: BE PREPARED!

More and more people are working at home and on the road with the help of laptop computers that contain sensitive data. With the rise of the virtual office, laptop theft has skyrocketed. It’s easy to see why: Laptops are expensive, yet portable, fairly easy to spot, and often found in congested public areas such as airports and hotel lobbies.

A comprehensive remote computing information technology policy can help your “virtual workers” protect their laptops on the road. Make sure that employees understand the variety of threats to their equipment and instill a sense of personal responsibility for company equipment and information. Require remote users to encrypt and password-protect all confidential information carried on diskettes and prohibit preprogramming network and e-mail passwords on laptops or home computers. The policy should also set procedures and precautions for computing in public, using wireless devices, backing up data, record keeping, and performing virus checks.

Armed with a well-drafted technology policy, today’s road warriors can benefit from technology without subjecting their companies to unmanageable risks.