Secure your laptop before going to the airport

After the UK banned the use of electronic devices in the cabin, many companies began to rethink safety measures for laptops.

Although the ban hinders many passengers, especially businessmen, but with about 20 people suspected of using laptops to activate the bomb, it is forbidden to carry this device to the cabin. Permanent plane passengers are completely probable.

Still, John Livingston, Absolute Software's chief executive, still offers some advice to protect laptops:

Safe laptop protection is what its owner should do before moving

1. Use safe luggage lock to prevent theft.

2. Wrap the laptop into a sponge bag or a balloon bag and place it in another bag for impact resistance.

3. Make the password including numbers and letters, encrypted as possible, so that 'strangers' cannot easily open the machine.

4. Back-up all important data before you leave the road because many times, the data in the machine is much more valuable than the machine itself.

5. Use a 'tracking and recovery' program such as CompuTrace integrated in the computer's BIOS.

6. Secure remote data to prevent it in case of stolen machine, it can order to delete all important data.

7. Equip portable storage devices such as external hard drives in case the computer is lost or retained.

8. Keep all information about the device such as model, serial number, . in a safe place.

9. Shutdown before 'packing', absolutely do not set the device to stand by or hibernate.

Companies like Computer Security Products also offer anti-theft products for laptops such as stickers or tattoos; while Secure IT has released many types of locks, cables, .

The last important step is to secure the machine's operating system. User name is not saved in the login dialog. You should register the machine with the manufacturer and save your own PCMCIA card in a safe place.

HOANG MINH