Securing Small Business Laptops and Protecting Sensitive Data

Summary: Security experts believe that laptop users, especially those entrepreneurs and employers, should know all the methods in securing a laptop and protecting sensitive data to prevent unauthorized access to business information such as trade secrets, customers/vendor's list, product design, and formula.

To do this, users should have security software and practice security consciousness to protect their data.

Most businessmen heavily rely on their laptops which mean that securing these devices is their main concern especially when these have sensitive information such as trade secrets and vendor and customer’s list.

To protect laptops, computer experts advise people to consider the three factors of securing these devices: security software, physical protection, and security consciousness.

Security Software

Any laptop that stores sensitive business information has to use a security software to prevent unauthorized access. According to security experts, such program should have the following features:

• It requires users to enter their usernames and elaborate passwords. However, one downside of this feature is the possibility to forget one’s username or password. With this consideration, many laptops today have fingerprint recognition that allows users to open their computers by simply pressing their fingers.
• It should lock the screen if no one is using the computer after a certain period of time.
• It should store reports such as failed and successful logins to allow users to know if someone has illegally accessed their laptops.
• It should have a sound alarm in case that someone keeps on entering wrong passwords or unrecognized fingerprint after a few attempts.

Physical Protection

There are many trade secrets which have been leaked after key employees stole data from protected computers. This is a problem US car manufacturer Ford has encountered after one of its engineers stole the company’s car design.

To prevent unauthorized access from protected computers, many companies install security camera inside the premise where laptops and desktops are placed so that in case someone steal these devices or illegally access the data, employers will have a strong ground for a lawsuit against the violator.

Another way to physically secure a laptop is by simply locking the room to prevent others from accessing sensitive information stored in the device. It will also helpful to screen all the windows and doors to prevent others from having seeing the user’s computer activities.

Security Consciousness

This includes using the basic tips on preventing unauthorized access to sensitive data and laptop theft. While some of the entries seem common-sense, most laptop users tend to forgo these important security practices:

• Write the laptop’s serial number, brand name, and model in a paper and secure this in a safe place. Ideally, users should also keep the laptop’s box and the proof of purchase.
• Avoid leaving laptops inside a parked car.
• Locked the room where the laptop is placed.