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Tech Tip | Prevent your laptop from walking away

Randy Hollowell, IT Services

We all know that when we ride our bicycle to the dining hall for lunch, if we lock it up it won't ride off on its own.  However, we also know that if we don't lock it up, there is a good chance it won't be there when we are finished eating.  So, the majority of us lock up our bikes.

The same should be considered for our laptops.  If we leave it on our desk in an unlocked dorm room, or on a study room table in King while we go to the bathroom, there is a possibility that it won't be there when we return.  So why don't we lock them up as well?

Laptop locks are available at the bookstores (both on campus and uptown) as well as other stores in town like Walmart and Radio Shack.  Most can be purchased for $30, and often for less, and the great thing is they are compatible with nearly every laptop, and are available as either a combination or key lock.

The best part is, they are easy to use.  They are similar to bicycle locks in that they lock your computer to a stationary object.  Just loop the lock cable around a table leg brace, a pre-drilled hole in a desk, or a chair frame, and then connect the lock to the special hole in your computer.

If you aren't using a lock for your laptop, you should consider it.  It only takes a few moments for your computer to disappear.  If you are doing it for your bike, why not for your laptop?

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, so we will be providing you with a different security tip each week this month.  For more information about keeping confidential information safe online, go to http://www.muohio.edu/secureit