Data Lost... What Can I Do Now?

800,000 data-sensitive devices—including USB drives, hard drives, laptops and mobile devices are lost or stolen each year. (according to Ponemon research institute.)

What do you do if yours is lost/stolen?

• change all passwords
• monitor all accounts
• consider deleting email accounts  and opening new ones
• review all information posted on social networking sites to see if it can be combined with whatever was on your device to steal your identity.

What do you do before your information is lost/stolen:

• password protect all laptops and disable the guest account.
• use encryption on flash drives (some flash drives come with security programs... use them!)
• use encrypted email and don't save the password to your account
• consider leaving your laptop at home on vacation. Take a break! If you HAVE to check email, use a net cafe.
• attach your flash drive to something you will not forget (such as keys or purse).
• if you have to leave electronic equipment in the car, lock it in the trunk rather than in the cabin of the vehicle.
• never place a list of all your passwords on your flash drive.

Be paranoid. Be thinking "What if I lost this?" Place sensitive material in smart places-like a hard drive that never leaves your house.