Don't Travel With Your Laptop Without Reading These 9 Tips

Are you planning to travel with your laptop? Are you aware of the security risks this decision poses? 

You’ve probably heard the news story: The laptop of an IT consultant for Medicentres Canada was stolen back in September, 2013. The startling thing was that it contained the health information of 620,000 Albertans—provincial health card numbers, billing codes, and diagnostic codes of individuals seen at Medicentres (walk-in clinics) between May 2, 2011 and Sept. 10, 2013, according to CBC News. The laptop was unencrypted—fully open to anyone who could get his or her hands on it, and lap up the spoils of valuable information on more than ½ million people. The fear is that such a mass breach of information could result in identity theft, land titles and mortgage fraud, not to mention break and entry—these are the few items brought to court in a current $11M class-action lawsuit by .

In an age of information such as ours, where information is currency, what you carry on your laptop could be very lucrative to a would-be thief. You go to great lengths when you travel to protect your money and your luggage—it’s just as important to protect the content of your laptop, should it get into the wrong hands. 

Here are 9 tips that will help you keep it safe:

1. Ask Why: Why are you bringing your laptop with you on your trip? If it’s business, this may be self-evident; however, it you’re going away on a leisure trip, perhaps your tablet or mobile phone will suffice. Ask this question: Is it really worth the risk of having it stolen and compromised?

2. Be Aware of Risks:

Many laptops get snatched when going through security, so it is important to keep a close eye on it. Only put it on the belt when it is your turn to step up for inspection. If you’re traveling to US from another country, the border patrol agents can confiscate your laptop if they deem it appropriate—without warrant or probable cause. Be aware of all border laws in any foreign country you’re traveling to, then go back to (1). More than 60,000 computers are stolen from airports annually in the United States alone.

3. Keep it in a solid travel-and-security friendly laptop bag: In such a bag, it only needs to be removed when you are using it. Make sure it has a padded sleeve and is TSA compliant—that way, you only have to unfold the bag to have it screened.

4. Consider buying a cable lock: While it can be easily cut through, they can serve as a deterrent in public—who wants to have to go through the trouble of cutting the cord. You can by a simple combination cable lock at Amazon.

5. Use location software: services like Apple’s own “Find My Mac” will help you locate a stolen laptop if it goes missing. Also good in the event that you happen to leave it somewhere, like on a cab or something. They work best when you sign up in advance, so make these arrangements before your trip.

6. Do not keep personal identifiable information on your laptop: This might be difficult, but is the safest bet if your laptop were to be stolen. And if the laptop contains sensitive files that you don’t need, keep them at home. Remove them from the hard drive onto another system disk.

7. Encrypt your sensitive data: Encrypting data is not that difficult anymore. Check out tools like TrueCrypt: an open-source encryption service that is automatic, real-time, and transparent. The thief may get your machine, but will not be able to access your data.

8. Use security software, lock screen, and a strong password: Protect your information from as many angles as possible: make sure you have strong security software installed, and a good strong password. Also, set it to lock when it goes to sleep.

9. Use a VPN (Virtual Personal Network): If you’re using different networks—in airports or hotels—a good VPN will be important for keep you safe while logging into personally sensitive information, such as bank accounts, etc. Check out CNET for a list of trustworthy VPNs.

There are all kinds of further information about these and other safety tips—the key is to be safe. Again, if you don’t need to travel with your laptop, it’s best to stick to something more portable and not personal information-rich.