Ultra CGA

Alan Salmon and Randy Johnston
techview
We’re all busy
these days, but
that’s no excuse
to get sloppy
when it comes to securing
the safety of your notebook
and other portable devices.
These handy tools are valuable
– making them popular
targets for thieves – and they
also tend to contain valuable
and sensitive personal and
professional information. In
this article, I outline some
tips for protecting these
devices at home and on the
road, including advice for
protecting your data as you
travel internationally.
Keep the following in
mind:
• A notebook is easy to carry
to and from work, presentations
and client meetings
– but that means it is also
very easy for a thief to walk
off with it.
• Because a notebook is
small and portable, it is
easy to accidentally leave
it behind – as a friend of
mine did when he left
his notebook in the seat
pocket on an Air Canada
flight to Antigua.
• Your notebook is valuable
to you because it
can speedily give you
access to important data,
information and software
– which also makes it
valuable to others and of
interest to thieves.
Statistics show that there
is a 1 in 14 chance that your
notebook will be stolen.
Even the FBI loses, on average,
10 notebooks a month.
Here are 10 common sense
tips to protect your valuable
portable devices.
Carry your notebook
with you
Always keep your notebook
with you on a plane or train
rather than checking it with
your luggage. It is easy to
lose luggage and it is just as
easy to lose your notebook.
If you are travelling by car,
keep your notebook out
of sight by locking it in the
trunk when you are not
using it.
A little time and effort now can save you lots of grief and
headaches later
Secure Your Notebook!
Don’t put your notebook
on the floor
Setting it on the floor is an
easy way to forget about it as
you talk at a ticket counter or
order your cappuccino. If you
do set it down, put it between
your feet or lean it against
your leg.
Keep an eye on your
notebook
As you go through airport
security, hold your bag until
the person in front of you has
gone through the screening
process.
Avoid using computer bags
Computer bags make it obvious
that you are carrying a
notebook. Instead, carry it in a
padded briefcase or carry-on
case.
Use a screen guard
These guards prevent someone
from seeing your screen,
and are particularly useful if
you are working on sensitive
data in a public place.
Statistics show
that there is a 1
in 14 chance that
your notebook will
be stolen.
Alan Salmon is a leading
authority on accounting
technology. He is the CEO
of K2 Enterprises Canada, a
North American consulting
firm providing technology
training to accountants. In
addition to his work with
consultants, accountants
and software companies in
both Canada and the U.S.,
he is the chairperson of
the Accounting Technology
seminar series. He can be
reached by email at
alan@k2e.ca or by visiting
www.k2e.ca.
Randy Johnston is a shareholder
in K2 Enterprises
(www.k2e.com). He has
been a top-rated speaker
in the technology industry
for over 30 years. He was
inducted into the Accounting
Hall of Fame in 2011.
He was selected as a Top 25
Thought Leader in Accounting
in 2011 and 2012 and has
been selected eight times by
Accounting Today as one of
the Top 100 Most Influential
People in Accounting.
Don’t leave your notebook
in your hotel room
Many things get lost in
hotel rooms, as they are not
totally secure and there are
too many key cards floating
around. If you do leave your
notebook in your room, put
the “Do not disturb” sign on
the door to keep hotel staff
out.
Buy a notebook security
device or program
If you do need to leave
your notebook in your
hotel room, use a notebook
security cable to attach it to
a heavy chair, table or desk.
There are also programs and
devices that will report the
location of a stolen laptop.
These work when the
notebook connects to the
Internet and can report the
notebook’s exact physical
location via GPS tracking.
Absolute Software’s LoJack
and its line of Computrace
products, for example, offer
physical location tracing
as well as capabilities for
remotely disabling a missing
computer, retrieving or
deleting data, and more.
Affix your name and
contact info to your
notebook
You should put your name
and contact information,
along with the promise
of a “Reward if found – no
questions asked,” on your
notebook. This can substantially
increase your odds of
getting your notebook back
in the event of theft or a
simple mix-up.
Use strong passwords,
and do not keep them in
your notebook bag
Strong passwords stop unauthorized
access to individual
files and even to the entire
operating system. Of course,
outlook 09