Over the last couple of months, I’ve come across some alarming statistics that you should know. There are more than 12,000 laptops found in US airports each week and 62,000 lost electronic devices recovered from New York’s metropolitan buses, taxis, trains, and stations each year! The bottom line is that no matter how careful you are with your laptop, mistakes occur and the loss (or theft) of a laptop is likely to happen to you or your employees at some point.
Even in the hands of a relatively unsophisticated hacker, all of your laptop information can be siphoned off an unsecured laptop, allowing an open back door into your network. This is akin to giving a thief the key to your office and the code to deactivate the alarm. Imagine the embarrassment of having to contact all of your customers to let them know that THEIR confidential information may be compromised because one of YOUR unsecured laptops is in the hands of a criminal!
Asking employees to be more careful about where they keep their laptops IS a good step in the right direction, but accidents happen, and thieves are always on the prowl. That’s why it’s so important to take measures to lock down and secure any mobile devices that you and your staff use to access our company’s network. Here are just a few:
Encrypt All Information – Drive encryption software, such as BitLocker (which is included in some versions of Microsoft Windows), can secure all the data on your hard drive. Also, check your computer to see if it has a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip which is generally more secure than those without a TPM. Ask your IT support partner (or us) if BitLocker can be enabled on your computer or laptop.
If you’re an Apple user, use FileVault to encrypt the startup disc on your Mac. FileVault 2 is available in OS X Lion or later. Just google “how to deploy FileVault” for detailed instructions.
Multi-Level Access Security – Lock your device with a PIN or a password, but don’t rely only on passwords only to keep your laptop safe. Hackers can usually break most passwords in a few hours. We recommend adding a second way for people to prove that they are who they say they are BEFORE they are able to log in.
Use biometrics and Multifactor Authentication whenever possible. Face- and fingerprint-based authentication are included in Windows Hello, which is an important part of Windows 10. It’s part of the increased security that prompted the US Defense Department to start moving to Windows 10 as rapidly as possible.
Enable Tracking Feature – Next, always enable your laptop’s tracking feature. If it’s stolen, you can use this feature to locate and lock it. In Windows 10, this feature is called Find My Device; in macOS, it’s just called Find My.
Remote Wipe – Although full disc encryption, strong password use, and remote locking are critical features to implement, in situations where data is incredibly valuable and is anticipated to retain its value for decades, it is best to install a remote wiping tool as well. Remote wiping makes it possible to delete data from a laptop or computer without having to be in front of the device. It needs to be set up beforehand, but if remote wiping capabilities are enabled, you can erase the data remotely and prevent the attacker from stealing the information and using it to launch further cyber attacks.
Log / Back-Up Information – It’s critical to log and back up all information on business laptops to ensure smooth operations in the event of loss or destruction. We can automate the backups so they are done ON SCHEDULE and in a way that won’t interfere with the use of the laptop.
The Right Response – What happens when an employee loses a laptop? Do you have a next-step action plan in place? Either way, we suggest calling us immediately to report the loss (Note: clients on our Premium Managed Services Plan will get after-hours support for situations like this). The sooner we know, the sooner we can take preventative actions to lock that laptop out of the network. A blame culture where people are afraid to report losses is the worst thing you can do for the security of your business.
Take the time NOW to help your team secure their laptops and limit the damage to your business in the event of loss or theft. While it’s impossible to stop all thefts from occurring, having a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy in place can help to limit any resulting damages.
At Meeting Tree Computer, we specialize in securing business data like yours, making sure it is available whenever you need it, so give us a call at (845) 237-2117. We have helped provide cyber security services to Hudson Valley business owners and their teams to secure their devices since 1999. We know what we need to do.
