Data Security Tips

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The 7 Essential Travel Computing Tips

1. Prepare in advance of your trip. Anticipate the risks. Never carry written PINs or passwords.

2. Protect your computer/bags with a personal anti-theft device.

3. Make stolen PCs unusable by using BIOS and hard drive password locking.

4. Ensure that stolen data is only accessible by you by encrypting folders and using strong authentication.

5. Strengthen your system/settings before you travel for added security and deterrence. Also enable screen saver passwords and get a privacy screen.

6. Manually purge your system of spyware and malware before and during every trip.

7. Create a last minute backup of the important data you have on your laptop or PDA, and store it in a secure location.

Data Theft Statistics

60% of all corporate data assets reside unprotected on PCs.
Source: Search Security Newsletter, April 4, 2002

50% or more Internet access points in hotels and public places are estimated to be vulnerable to security breaches and serve to expose the traveller's data.
Source: Informatica Research, November 2004

The theft of a laptop results in an average financial loss of $89,000; only a small percentage of the sum actually relates to the hardware cost.
Source: 2002 Computer Security Institute/FBI Computer Crime & Security Survey

Informal surveys indicate that about 10 to 15 percent of laptops are stolen by criminals intent on selling the data.
Source: Securityfocus.com, July 30, 2001

IT professionals underestimate the real cost of one stolen notebook by 90%
Source: Kensington Notebook Security Survey, October 2001

A study conducted by the FBI found that 57% of computer crimes were linked to stolen computers that were then used to break into computer servers later on
Source: SC Magazine article quoting CSI/FBI

Understand The 6 Risk Areas

1. Open Internet connections can expose your private and confidential information. Even if you pay for the service.

2. File sharing allows others access to your computer when connected to the Internet or any other network.

3. Once compromised, your data is at risk, your computer can be used remotely without your knowledge or authorization.

4. Malicious software can be manually or remotely installed on unprotected PCs.

5. The absence of warnings and instructions is usually an indication of lax security measures and limited protection.

6. Public Internet terminals carry additional risks not limited to virus infections and undetectable keystroke recording programs.

For More Information

Services: Secure your system with Lockdown.

Products: Data encryption and strong authentication.

Information: Security Starts Here.

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Contact Claudiu Popa, President of Informatica

We wish you and your data a safe voyage.