Keep Your Portable Devices Encrypted

When you're sitting at home or at the office, most physical threats are avoided. To keep people from accessing your computer, simply lock your office door or put your computer to sleep. Unfortunately, most of the steps taken for desktop security aren't afforded to portable devices. They're easily stolen, or misplaced. Which can lead to sensitive data being leaked.

Just ask BP, who had an employee lose their laptop while on a business trip. The story is of particular note because the laptop stored personal data. With information such as social security numbers, and dates of birth. The information belonged to 13,000 people who submitted claims against the company over the oil spill.

The story shows how vulnerable portable devices are when being transported on long trips, or even short ones as well. According to a recent study, 30 of 144 data breaches announced, occurred on portable devices.

These breaches can be avoidable if encryption software is being used on the device. The problem is many companies don't want to invest in the tools. The presents a problem which bothers, Avivah Litan, an analyst for Gartner Inc, "There really is no excuse for not encrypting laptops"

Litan makes the argument that the cost of protection is worth it, and enterprises can find worthwhile discounts. Volume prices can drop to as little as $15 per laptop. She accuses businesses that have the knowledge of data encryption but refuse to use it as being lazy.

Reports of data loss on portable devices will continue to rise if people and businesses continue to refuse the encryption option. The practice might increase cost, but the consequences of what can happen over certain data leaks has to make it worth the investment.