Why Encrypting Laptop Data is Absolutely Crucial

The cost to encrypt data on the average laptop is about $40, and is likely even less for you.

The value of the data on your laptop to a thief could be much more than you might imagine.

From the Privacy and Law Blog:

81% of U.S. businesses surveyed this year reported that, in the previous 12 months, at least one of their laptops or other portable electronic devices had been lost or stolen. U.S. Survey: Confidential Data at Risk, 5 Privacy & Security Law Report 1162 (2006). When a laptop is lost or stolen, unencrypted data on the computer can easily be accessed. Even if a user name and password are needed to sign on to the laptop, the hard drive can be removed in a few seconds and all data on the hard drive can be copied to another computer or to a storage device in minutes.

Despite the high risk sensitive data may be obtained from lost or stolen laptops, many businesses continue to allow employees to store such information on laptops and to take the laptops home, on business trips, and on vacations. Business managers should consider whether their current laptop security practices are sufficient. If a business’ trade secrets, attorney-client privileged information, customer lists, or financial information are obtained from a lost or stolen laptop, affected shareholders, employees, or business partners may argue that the business failed to take adequate steps to safeguard the data.

Failing to encrypt data on a mobile device “borders on negligence” according to Avivah Litan of the Gartner Group.

I agree.

Information is the gold of the new millennium. If you feel your business intelligence is not worth guarding, do you really have a valuable business?