Mark Prigg pushes a range or laptop security gadgets to the limit.
Having your laptop stolen is every traveller’s worst nightmare, but if the data on it gets into the wrong hands, it can be even more of a problem. In recent times, credit card records, health data and even lists of supposedly secret government workers have all gone missing owing to a lack of basic security, leading to a rush of newspaper headlines and some very red faces.
There are a few easy steps you can take and some easy-to-use gadgets that can ease your worries. First, it’s worth physically securing your laptop, even if you are just at a conference desk and popping out for a coffee – a relatively cheap cable lock can go a long way to stopping opportunist thieves. A discreet case for your laptop can also help, and is an excuse to dump the branded bag that came with it.
Second, and most important, make sure you encrypt all your sensitive data. There are many ways to do this, from hard drives you unlock with a fingerprint, to tamper-proof USB memory sticks with military-grade software.
It’s also crucial to keep your machine safe, so invest in some anti-virus software and keep your operating system, be it Windows or Mac, up to date.
Lenovo ThinkPad USB Portable Secure Hard Drive
£120 (320GB)
Lenovo’s Thinkpad drive is an excellent idea if you only want to encrypt some of your data. The drive is protected by a keypad, which has to be used to unlock it every time you plug it in. You can set your own code, using up to 24 characters for the paranoid. The drive, measuring 8.8 x 12.2 x 2.2cm, isn’t the prettiest I’ve seen, and the keypad makes it a little uglier than some of its slick designer rivals.
When the drive is in use, built-in 128-bit AES encryption is automatically applied to data as it’s written. Amazingly, there’s no lag because of this and, in fact, Lenovo has gone for a drive much faster than most low-end equivalents, so working with big files is fine.
This is a superb product for laptop users – simply store the files you are worried about on the drive, and be safe in the knowledge that they will be automatically secured, and that you can easily access them from any other machine. It may look like something from the eighties, but it works brilliantly.
Pros Useful day-to-day gadget, very fast
Cons Expensive
Notelock Cubebyte
£22
A simple, easy-to-use cable lock, the Cubebyte is available in both black and white (for Apple fans, presumably). It’s quick and looks reasonably good, if a little boxy. However, the chunky design hides a good feature – when you lock your laptop, the base springs up to push right against the machine, meaning thieves can’t simply lever it apart from the laptop.
The security given by a basic cable lock isn’t huge, but this is definitely a gadget that could save you from opportunist thieves, making it something well worth keeping in your laptop bag.
Pros Cheap and simple
Cons Very basic deterrent
Kensington MicroSaver Keyed Retractable Notebook Lock
£29
A decent locking cable is the simplest way to secure your machine, and Kensington’s Microsaver lock is one of the easiest to carry around with you. It has a 1.2-metre retractable cable, and is incredibly quick to set up and remove – meaning it’s far more likely you’ll actually use it.
The mechanism is slick and retracts in seconds. There’s also a key replacement service should the unthinkable happen and you end up with your laptop locked to the office desk. Overall, this is a great budget way to protect your machine, and is an essential part of every regular traveller’s arsenal.
Pros Small and easy to use
Cons Limited security
IronKey secure USB Drive
£90 (4GB)
The Ironkey is the ultimate in secure memory sticks, being the most water-tight product you’re likely to come across. It’s impossible to get at the memory chips on the device. The casing that holds the flash drive is made out of a single piece of metal, and doesn’t screw or snap together.
To get inside, you have to cut through the metal and then through the reinforced plastic that surrounds the flash drive itself – something that’s virtually impossible. Even if you can get through, all of the data on the unit is encrypted before being stored in the memory chips.
There’s also a full copy of the Firefox web browser, so it’s possible to go online on any machine without leaving a trace (or your passwords) on it – a great touch. You can also create an encrypted backup of all your passwords on a desktop machine. It’s expensive, but the Ironkey is undoubtedly the most secure way to store small amounts of data.
Pros Amazing levels of security
Cons Expensive
Kingston Data Traveller Vault
£105 (4GB)
Kingston has taken a rather neat approach to its secure memory stick, with both a public and private partition in the drive, allowing you to share your holiday snaps easily while keeping corporate data encrypted with 256-bit AES security.
It’s simple to set up and works well, although unusually for Kingston products, the USB stick feels a little flimsy, especially when compared with the more rugged drives tested here. However, it’s worth considering if the other option is carrying two USB drives around.
Pros Neat double partition
Cons Feels rather flimsy
Integral Crypto USB stick
£23 (4GB)
A small, unobtrusive 4GB USB stick, the Integral Crypto packs in military-grade 256-bit AES encryption. Every time you plug it in, you’re prompted for a password that unlocks the drive, leaving it to work as a standard USB drive.
Set-up is also simple, and the software forces you to mix upper- and lower-case letters along with numbers to create a secure password. However, being a USB stick, you are limited to smaller files.
For company-sensitive data in smallish spreadsheets, this is the perfect solution – petite enough to take anywhere, but secure enough that it’s not the end of the world if you leave it behind.
Pros Excellent for smaller files
Cons Limited storage
Freecom Mobile Drive Secure
£151 (500GB)
While Lenovo’s drive (see page 51) requires a code, Freecom takes the same technology used in London’s Oyster card to allow users to lock and unlock their drive with a swipe of the supplied credit card-sized pass card.
The 500GB device is a stylish little unit and takes power from the USB cable, so it doesn’t need a separate electricity supply. It works with both Macs and PCs, and uses Turbo USB 2.0 (for Windows) for even faster data transfer. The card will also work while still in your wallet, but bear in mind that you’ll always need to have it handy.
This is a good solution for encrypting data, and unlike the Lenovo drive, it won’t look out of place in a home environment. A decent all-rounder, as long as you aren’t prone to losing credit cards…
Pros Neat security system
Cons You’ll need to carry the pass card everywhere
Anti-virus software
A key way to keep your machine secure is with anti-virus software. There is a huge range available, from free options to suites costing hundreds of pounds a year. It’s critical when using Windows to make sure your software is up-to-date, so always ensure the automatic update option is on.
One of the best free tools available is AVG software, which you can download at free.avg.com – there are also paid-for versions with added features, but I have run the free version for several months with no problems.
It’s also worth investigating high-street bundles from Norton, Kaspersky and McAfee, all of which offer varying levels of protection. Some are also able to encrypt individual files. However, be realistic when buying bundles, as the anti-virus software is probably all you’ll need.
For companies, Sophos is a good bet, as it gives system administrators great control over what software is loaded on to which machine. Sophos is also one of the quickest firms to update products when new viruses appear.
Gadgets for the home
LaCie SAFE Mobile Hard Drive
£105 (160GB)
Lacie’s monolith-like hard drive comes in 80GB or 160GB versions, and instead of passwords or cards, uses fingerprints to secure data. It’s easy to use, and once you’ve registered your fingerprint, it’s simply a case of moving your finger over the sensor whenever you switch on. There’s a single USB cable for data and power, so it doesn’t require a separate electricity supply. Your fingerprint is recognised quickly, and unlike some of its competitors, there’s no risk you will lose the access card or forget the code. The downside is that it isn’t the smallest (13.8 x 8 x 2.5cm) or most stylish hard drive around.
Pros Fingerprint scanner works well
Cons Bulky
Sentrysafe X075 laptop safe
£70
It’s something you’re probably more used to seeing in a hotel room, but this small safe is a great idea for the home or office. The idea is simple – just pop your laptop in whenever you leave, and it should be protected.
Crucially, there’s power cable access, so you can charge your laptop while it is inside the safe. Opening it is simple, as you can set your own entry code on the keypad. Should you forget the code, there is an override key, and two large locking bolts keep your goods safe. It’s big enough for most laptops, as well as A4 documents. For added security, there are fittings included to bolt it to the floor or wall.
While it’s not the best-looking gadget and it does seem a rather low-tech approach, this is a must-have for anyone who regularly takes sensitive data home with them.
Pros Great protection for the home or office
Cons Not the most stylish design
Mark Prigg is science and technology correspondent for London’s Evening Standard
