With the recent astonishing news of how much the BBC has lost in hardware over the past year, companies and employees should begin to consider paying more attention to securing their own mobiles and laptops. There are a number of important precautions each employee entrusted with this equipment should take; similarly, there are ways for corporations to minimise the threat of loss and theft of hardware. Here are a few quick tips to help you keep your hands on those expensive gadgets.
- Install remote tracking software on each and every laptop computer, particularly those with important data on them. This software should allow you to find your laptop if it’s stolen and remotely turn off all access to it. Windows passwords are not normally secure and can be hacked very easily with external programs, so it’s essential to be able to remotely lock the PC and prevent any thieves from getting access to valuable information. Ask your IT support company for the best software available.
- If you’ve been entrusted with a nice phone by your company, don’t show it off. Even if you have it hooked up to a low cost business VoIP phone system, the loss of your phone will cost your company money for both the hardware and services used by the thief. It’s tempting to want everyone to realise that you are in fact a big executive and make a lot of money, but it’s also dangerous. If you’re free with that phone and someone is looking out for an easy theft, they’ll quickly target you because you’re advertising its availability. If they don’t know you have an expensive mobile, they won’t be interested. Simple.
- Similarly, don’t advertise the presence of your laptop or mobile on public transportation. If you need to get work done, that’s one thing, but don’t whip out your mobile just to check your emails on a crowded bus. Thieves will follow you to get your stuff, especially if you’re getting off in a quiet area.
- Preventing the loss of certain items is considerably more difficult. It will likely happen regardless of what you do to try and stop it, but you can make losing items less likely by simply keeping an eye on them. Never check your laptop in a suitcase at the airport, always keep it with you. It’s also worth trying to fit it under your seat rather than putting it in the overhead compartment to prevent mix-ups. Believe it or not, people do steal things on planes. If you have to put your bag on a luggage compartment in a train or bus, make sure you’re sitting right by it. It’s obviously best to keep it with you.
- Keep your mobile in a secure location. Putting it in an inside coat pocket is the most secure option, but not if you’re going to take your coat off and carry it. Your other best option is the front pocket of your pants, if they have pockets, as thieves generally target back pockets with visible, wallet or phone sized bulges.
It’s difficult to completely prevent thefts and loss of business equipment, but if you follow these simple tips you should minimise the risk of it happening to you.
