Airports a threat to laptop security

Airports may be more of a threat for laptop security – and data theft – than you realize.

The BBC’s "The Real Hustle" reports that 10% of laptop thefts occur at airports in the UK. This includes theft as well as loss. The television show, which ran a segment on laptop theft, showed just how easy it is to heist laptops at the airport.

Aside from theft & loss, there is another area of concern. Customs officials have the right to review your laptop’s data, download it, and keep it indefinitely.

From the New York Times:

• At U.S. Borders, Laptops Have No Right to Privacy
• To Do List: Rename Laptop Files ‘Grandma’s Favorite Recipes’

A court ruled in July that US Customs Officials can seize and hold laptops, indefinitely, without probable cause or a warrant for the purposes of "forensic analysis." At least one federal court, in California, has spoken out against this and ruled that reasonable suspicion be determined.

The Association of Corporate Travel Executives met in October to ask the government for better guidelines so that corporate travel policies can be redeveloped. Where is the data kept? Who has access to it? Is it ever destroyed? These are important questions when it comes to proprietary data.

The ACTE recommends that companies cut back on the amount of proprietary information that employees carry on laptops when traveling. Encrypt your data to protect against theft. Minimize your data to protect against seizure.

Via PC Blade Daily ; Tags: laptop security, airports, laptop inspection, data breach, acte, laptop seizure, laptop customs