If you want to ensure that your data is safe, make sure your employees know how to protect their laptops.
Laptops undoubtedly lead to big benefits for business. Being able to use a computer virtually anywhere means that you can squeeze productive work out of time that might otherwise be spent staring out of a window.
But the very mobility and ease of transport which makes laptops such a boon means you need to take extra precautions with them, as the Daily Mail recently found out. According to The Register, an employee of its parent company, Northcliffe Media, lost a laptop which contained names, addresses and bank account details of the Mail's employees - information which, in the wrong hands, could be extremely damaging.
So what can you do to protect your valuable data? First of all, ensure that any laptops which leave the building with valuable data on them are not just password protected, but also have their hard drives encrypted too. Use Windows BitLocker if you are using Windows Vista, or the free TrueCrypt tool if you're using Windows XP.
Secondly, consider using security software such as Computrace or Orbicule, which allow you to track down a laptop when it connects to the Internet - even if the hard drive has been wiped. Not only will this help to ensure that you'll get your hardware back, but it will increase the chances that you can track down what happened to your data if anyone had access to it.
Finally, but most importantly, train your staff about the importance of keeping their laptops with them at all times. Don't leave the building with unencrypted data, and while you're out and about don't allow the laptop out of your site. If staying in a hotel, ensure it's always locked up in your room safe. And most important of all - never leave it on the train!