How to Keep Your Laptop Secure
Many business owners and remote workers are using laptops to carry out their daily tasks. Because of its size and various functionalities, a lot of people choose to carry it wherever they go. Laptops allow us to store most of our important files on the local drive, to finish reports we have to submit, and to connect to the Internet, among others. Undoubtedly, laptops have become a common tool for both business and personal use. Its portability makes them extremely convenient for people on the go.
However, laptop users should not be complacent as cybercriminals are always targeting this type of device. We should always be aware of different security threats and take proper precautions. This is to prevent potential loss of any personal, private, or sensitive information that it holds. It is crucial to take laptop security seriously.
First off, you must put into place a laptop antivirus software and teach your employees (if you have any) about the best practices. Hackers constantly utilize new techniques and they know that one of the easiest ways to steal passwords, break into file archives, and read a confidential email is through a laptop. To protect yourself from hackers and to fend off the latest attacks, here are some things that you should follow if you are a laptop-carrying person.
Use strong passwords
See to it that your laptop is protected with a robust password. It should be configured in such a way that a password is required to be entered every time you turn the machine on or when it activates from hibernation, sleep, or screensaver mode. Although an account password is a great layer of protection against unauthorized users, it would be useless if you choose a commonly used or guessed code. Try to combine lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols for stricter protection.
Disable booting from CD or USB
Knowledgeable cybercriminals can easily change or remove your laptop account password using a resetting program. However, for them to run the software, they need to boot the computer from a CD or USB stick. You can prevent this from happening by disabling the ability to boot from one of these devices. Simply modify the settings in your laptop's basic input/output system (BIOS), which is the built-in software with generic code to control the machine. Once you've successfully alter the settings, unauthorized users won't be able to change anything without entering the password.
Encrypt your hard drive
If someone steals your laptop, your files could be accessed by the thief by simply removing the hard drive and transferring it to another laptop, bypassing the password security. To prevent this, you should encrypt your laptop hard drive. This way, only the person who has the encryption key can access your files. If you want to encrypt your entire drive, you can use BitLocker, which is available for Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. You can also use TrueCrypt which does the same thing but for free. It works with Windows XP, Linux and OS.
Use a virtual private network (VPN)
Free Wi-Fi available in airports, conference centers, hotel rooms, and restaurants present security risks to laptop users. This is because cybercriminals can easily connect to the same networks and may intercept emails or copy passwords as they pass over the network. To protect your data from being compromised, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This makes your data encrypted and protected from prying eyes of hackers.
Install laptop antivirus
Malwares or viruses are malicious programs written in order to access another computer without permission. It intends to delete files, obtain personal data, or use your computer to attack other devices. To protect your laptop against these cyber threats, you need to install laptop antivirus software. This will safeguard the computer from incoming threats and will seek out, remove, and notify you of possible threats to the system.
Take note that new viruses pop out all the time. It is the job of your laptop antivirus to keep up with the latest threats. For constant protection, make sure to constantly update your antivirus database to easily counteract malicious attacks.
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