ISO27001 Laptop Security

More and more details are on the new lax security of data and I am always concerned themselves on the absence of basic precautions to prevent unauthorized disclosure of data.

There are laptops stolen, lost or simply contain at airports, confidential information, forget it. Not long ago, a cabinet minister had a desktop computer stolen, the data is generally not allowed outside Whitehall had. The Minister told the press that it was safe, as it wasprotected by a password. There was disbelief among those present, such as passwords are so easy to overcome. One wag even asked whether the password is 'password'.

Desktops and laptops are often stored in the CMOS system passwords, which is a volatile store chip inserted in the computer and kept alive by a small coin type battery on the motherboard. The same chip holds the date and other start-up data. If you remove the battery and leave it for a few minutes, this data is lost and removed the password.The other kind of start-up password is in encrypted form rather than on the hard disk.

It is relatively easy to restart the computer from a CD or an alternative operating system to access the password files and delete them. Restart the computer in the usual way shows that the password is removed.

I'm no computer expert, but this simple routine can be easily over the Internet and it is incredible that anyone, let alone those in the government believe that their data is safe if"protected" in this shabby way.

In my work I travel much, and I have a laptop, which is protected by a password, but I have the data on a separate removable drive, which encrypts at the file level, so that even if the disk was stolen and another laptop share the data could not be accessed.

I use Folder Lock to secure my data. There are many other programs available, but I like this one.

Folder Lock is a fast file-security program that can password protect, lock, hide andEncrypt any number of files, folders, drives, pictures and documents in seconds. Protected files are hidden, undeletable, inaccessible and highly secure. It hides files from a person other than the authorized users, it protects against viruses, Trojans, worms and spyware, and even protects them from networked PCs, cable users and hackers. Files on USB flash drives, memory sticks, CD-RW are protected floppies and notebooks. Protection works even if files are taken fromone PC to another on a disk without the need to install a software. It locks files in Windows, DOS and even Safe Modes.

I know that my sensitive files are protected and that my customer data is protected.