What Would Your Computer Say About You?

Personally if I were someone who had to carry a laptop around for my job. I would use software to put my personal information in a secure password protected area. I use my work desk top computer for personal use too and have installed this type of software with the companies permission so that when someone else is using this particular machine they don't have access. My company doesn't care what you put on your computer as long as it is legal. I can even put games on it as long as it is a legal & licensed copy & that I don't play while I'm on the clock.

This security software does 2 things. It protects this info from a would be small time thief that would steal the computer for info about your credit cards and such. And 2 it would also stop anyone that you may need to give access to your computer from finding out any of this info when they are just being nosy.

Most airport officials just check to see if the lap top actually is a working one & not a bomb in disguise. (they also do this to cell phones & cameras). Thus they wouldn't see this info by accident. If they did a more thorough search for some reason and asked you about the protected area of your computer. Then it would be up to you weather you wanted to allow them access without a warrant.

Personally, I cant imagine what need there could possibly be for a TSA to look at the contents of any files on an individual's laptop computer. I can understand the logic behind checking such a unit to verify that it does not create a problem with the transportation vehicle. Homeland Security was sold on the basis of protecting the aircraft, etc. from explosives or from hidden weapons. What software could possibly be placed on a laptop that could interfere with operation of an aircraft.

To me, searching the software and files on someones laptop is tantamount to invasion of personal privacy and I expect the ACLU will challenge the law.

Put your sensitive information in an encrypted folder or drive.

I like the way the article put it, a laptop search is like a body cavity search. Customs and Immigration better have a damn good reason to do it...

I would go a few steps further. The use of encryption and even the bad old dongle may be necessary to keep content away from prying eyes. It is not just customs I am concerned with, but the occasional electronic break-ins, lost or stolen laptops with complete Veteran Administration database(!?!) on it, as it happened recently. What does the computer tells about a consultant who does that? That both him and his bosses are blooming careless idiots? At my former company there were tiers for access, mostly read-only and all accesses were logged. And nobody, but nobody walked out of the center with a copy. And all developmental work was done on a full structure, but sparsely filled with some dummy data. Nobody would find real data on a laptop.

Good discipline goes a long way to render your laptop uninteresting if it ever getting lifted or just curious, be it customs or otherwise.