While we normally focus on encryption, so many of our articles discuss laptops and many of our readers deal with laptops every day.  So today we thought we would share tips for safety when you leave home with your laptop.  Obviously, encryption is the number one step – but there are other tips:

Laptop and International Travel Tips for Laptops

• If your laptop is new, take receipts – you don’t want your local customs charging you when you return, thinking you bought it abroad!
• Don’t forget to take a voltage adapter on your laptop, as well as preparing a power plug adapter
• Make a back-up of all your data before you leave the country
• It is highly unlikely, but possible that a customs officer decides to search your laptop as you bring it into this other country So you should be sure that your hard drive doesn’t have anything that it shouldn’t. This includes pornography as the definition of what is or isn’t porn varies by country.  Also, if you work for a security or defense type firm realize that information that appears normal to you, could be considered espionage by an overzealous customs officer.
• Also unlikely, but you may be required to decrypt any encrypted files for customs.

School and Library Security Tips for Laptops

• Permanently mark your laptop with your contact information – this may deter thieves, since it makes resale more difficult.  Also consider pasting the laptop with stickers.
• Use a generic backpack and not a custom laptop bag – a backpack may not be as obvious to thieves that a laptop is inside.
• Don’t leave your laptop unattended at your feet in a bag. If you should become distracted or fall asleep your laptop is easy game – consider setting an alarm on your PC if you are tired to avoid this risk.
• When using public wireless connections, be wary of logging into sites as passwords could be made available to others!

In Flight Security Tips for Laptops

• Plan ahead as to which luggage case will house your laptop.  You don’t want to store your laptop in an overhead bin if it’s in a soft case.
• Close and put away your laptop when meals are served so there’s no risk of a beverage tipping onto it – I have personally seen this happen twice.  One time, my then six year old daughter learned many new and “interesting” words when the laptop owner was shrieking at the stewardess.
• When you leave your seat, close your laptop and put it away or leave it on the seat, not the tray where it could more easily slip off during turbulence.

While laptops are essentially made for traveling – there are so many things you can do to ensure their safety. From the security of encryption to plain common sense on how you care for your belongings.

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