8 Easy Laptop Security Tips

There are few things scarier than having your laptop stolen or compromised. Most of us rely on our notebook PCs as the keystone of our professions. There are always people out there that would like nothing more than to steal your private data.

Here are some handy tips for beefing up your laptop's security so that you can rest easy about your crucial data...

1. Back up your data and do it often! Invest in an external hard drive to copy your files to each night. Thumb drives are great for smaller documents. Some people back up their files on to recordable CDs or DVDs to store at home or office. You can also sign up for off-sight back-up services that will let you upload your data to a secure location. These services are great in the event of a fire or traveling.
   
   


2. Disable the infrared sensor, if your laptop has one. Bad guys can access your laptop remotely through it.
   
   


3. Don't trust WiFi! Wireless internet connection is a fantastic convenience, but free WiFi hotspots allow anyone on that network to access your laptop. This includes website passwords, unencrypted email... All the private information you need to keep private!
   
   


4. Rename your Windows "Administrator" account. Many hackers go right for that account once they can get into your machine. You can even create a bogus "Administrator" login and a few extra redundant accounts to throw them off the trail.
   
   


5. Use a docking station for your home or office. This will lock down the laptop to a more secure location, in case visitors or staff get a case of sticky fingers. It also gives you a place to charge your battery and back up your data when you're not traveling.
   
   


6. Use a complicated password. The best type of password is a completely random mess of numbers, letters, and symbols. But if you need to use words for a mnemonic, replace some of the letters with similar numbers. For example: "p4s5w0rd".
   
   


7. Don't save passwords or use automatic logins for websites on your laptop. If someone were to get their hands on your laptop, they'd have instant access to all those important accounts. Anywhere from your FaceBook to your online banking!
   
   


8. Finally, use encryption whenever possible. There are loads of software and USB devices out there that will help keep your data encrypted and secure.

Keeping your data secure will save you loads of time and money. With these simple tips, you should be able to sleep easy knowing that your vital data is safe.

Have any tips of your own? Add them to the comments! We'd love to hear any ideas that we might have missed!