What if your computer was stolen?

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Last week mine was.

I had just finished a meeting with my team at our offices on the 16th floor in downtown San Francisco. Upon entering my personal office directly across the hall, I immediately noticed my notebook computer was not in its docking station.  Plus, where was my computer bag (with my car keys or other stuff in it)?  Amazing…11am in the morning in a high-rise with people directly across the hall and somebody had the chutzpah to walk into an office and steal a computer!

The replacement cost of my stuff was one thing but what about all my years of stored work?  My emails?  My documents? My pictures?  (No CleanOffer customer information was stored on there.  We keep that data at a high security, backed-up, co-location server facility). 

Having your personal computer stolen is certainly a violation of personal space and a major hassle. But it could have been much worse.  Luckily, my great engineers at CleanOffer taught me some excellent data habits over the years. (Unfortunately, the one about locking my office door did not sink in!).  After buying a new computer, thanks to these habits I was restored and back in business in relatively short order. 

Important Computer Data Habits:

• Password protect your computer.
• Back-up all your important documents, favorites and pictures on a regular basis.  This can be easily done with a portable USB drive ($100) or an online back-up service.  Use an automated system so you don’t have to remember.
• Use IMAP email.  By doing so, all your current and past emails including folders, addresses and attachments are available instantly from any computer. 
• Keep your software installation disks in one spot.
• Have some sort of PDA for your contacts and appointments.  This way you still have this information even if your computer is gone.  You can restore it all back to your new computer from the PDA.

So what about the bad guy doing something evil with all my information?  Of course I changed all my financially related online passwords right away.  Plus, since my computer itself was password protected, it is not likely that the bad guy could access my files anyway.  My engineers told me that in the vast majority of cases the thief simply erases your hard-drive and sells your computer on Craigslist.

Ah ha…so maybe I could find my computer on Craigslist and catch the guy!  I searched Craigslist just to see and the the first advertisement for a Thinkpad T60 read:

“IBM Thinkpad T60 for sale.  This is a steal!” Hummmmm.