When it comes to data breaches, it only takes one laptop or mobile device lost to cause a catastrophe. Laptop drift/loss is almost inevitable, but avoiding that one very important laptop from breaching data is possible.

Carl Weinschenk writes "It’s Which, Not How Many, Laptops Disappear" on IT Business Edge. The article relates to laptop loss in governments and the potential for personal information, or information related to national security, to be breached. Government figures on laptop loss are public, but what is not clear is the impact of those figures. How many of the lost laptops have secure information on them?

Carl’s statement regarding this issue rings very true:

"laptop security is a qualitative issue: It really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things if 10 low level machines go missing, as long as the one with the ID badge software is safe."

Although means should be taken to secure all laptops, those with the greatest potential for data breach should be more stringently secured.

Carl is correct in stating that laptop security is a complex and subtle issue, but one increasingly important in government policy development.

Tags: laptop security, government security, government data, data breach, data loss, laptop loss, secured data, privacy of information