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7 laptop security tips for travelers

March 14, 2014 by Robert Siciliano — speaker, IDTheftSecurity.com

A laptop has become standard equipment for the business traveler. But the great convenience of having masses of information at your fingertips while on the road does come with a risk to proprietary business data and documents. Here are seven ways you can add a lot of security to your laptop when traveling.

Bag it. Keep the laptop in a sturdy bag designed for laptops. The sleeve should be well padded and the bag TSA-compliant. The bag should be collapsible and expandable (depending on contents), and easy to carry for extended periods.

Hang onto it. Pretend your laptop is a baby. In public, you wouldn't leave your baby unattended while you went to the restroom or moved around in your location. Take your laptop with you wherever you go, even if it's just one aisle over.

'Do not disturb' it. If you must leave your laptop in your hotel room when you're out, put up the "Do Not Disturb" sign. The fewer people in your room, the less likely your laptop will be stolen. You can also put the laptop in the hotel's safe, though that's no guarantee of security, either.

Lock it. A persistent thief won't be deterred by this in a setting where nobody will notice him, but it can indeed keep him at bay when the laptop is in a busy public place. Find out if your company provides cable locks or purchase one online.

Find it. A stolen or misplaced laptop can be located with software. Register with an anti-theft tracking service prior to your trip.

Don't be nice. At least, not nice enough to let a stranger use your laptop.

Use a VPN. VPN stands for virtual private network, and it's very effective at providing data security when you use a laptop in public (airport, coffee house, hotel) where the network is open season all season for hackers. You'll be protected when you're on any site. Ask if your company can give you a VPN when you travel.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com and the author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen."