Security specialist Robert Siciliano explains why college students lose thousands to stolen electronics and identity theft. Keep devices on you, use cable locks on laptops, install tracking software, and bolt a safe to your dorm floor. If something gets stolen, call campus police immediately.
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iPods, iPhones, laptops, BlackBerrys— losing your backpack is more expensive than it used to be, and the chance of it getting stolen is on the rise as well. Joining us this morning with some tips for securing your high-tech tools, security expert Robert Siciliano. Robert, great to see you again. Thanks for coming in. How widespread a problem are we talking about here?
Well, it's a problem when you are investing $300 to $3,000 on iPods and laptops and calculators and other tools. You have to know that there's a chance that it something to either be lost or stolen.
Know your roommate too if you're going to college and you've got this stuff out there. You know, you don't know who you're dealing with, so that's part of the problem too.
That is a real problem. You know, dorm rooms, colleges are generally open, and when you have people in and out of dorm rooms and apartments, chances are at some point in time someone's going to be paying unwanted attention to your stuff, and you gotta know how to secure it up.
Big scare there, of course. I mean, if you lose your work, everything you've been working on, that's a bummer. But identity theft is a real concern. When it comes to this stuff.
It certainly is. If you have personal information on a laptop computer, let's say, and that's stolen, uh, that can lead to really big problems down the road.
All right, you have some important tips here that everybody should take note of. Let's go through them point by point. First, always keep your electronics with you. It sounds easy, but a lot of times they can be big and bulky. Maybe you leave them somewhere.
Well, even as a professional, I'm in hotels a lot, and— but when I leave that hotel, I take that stuff with me. Same thing in your dorm room or in a classroom. Put it in a backpack, take it with you instead of leaving it in the dorm or leaving it in the classroom.
And to help solve any potential problems in the dorm, you suggest perhaps getting a safe for yourself.
Absolutely. You know, I, in my own home, I have a safe, so I would recommend in a dorm room, invest in a safe bolted to the floor, something that's difficult to carry around so that if your roommate, let's say, is having people in there, stuff's not going to be stolen.
And don't share the combination, please.
Oh, absolutely not.
Your roommate may say, "Don't you trust me?" And say, "Ah, in fact, no, I don't. Thank you very much." Purchase a backpack with a padlock. I didn't even know this existed.
Well, nowadays, uh, You know, with security in mind, you have to invest in a backpack that has some type of a padlock. So if you do actually leave that backpack, let's say, in a dorm room or in a class, let's say, down by your chair, that it has some type of a padlock so somebody just can't, you know, open up the zipper, go in and get your stuff.
And again, along those lines, invest in a good combination lock for your locker. Very simple thing, but a lot of people are too lazy even to go out and do that.
Well, many cheap keyed locks are easy to pick, you know, with a With the paperclip, you can pick a lock, but with the combination lock, it's that much more difficult to get in.
And get a good quality one. Take a look at it, make sure you're getting something that's going to be real good there. Affix stickers with contact information on all of your devices.
Sure, absolutely. Let's just say something is lost or stolen, and immediately when you report that, if in fact, you know, someone, law enforcement, let's say, finds that it has your information on it, boom, they got your stuff back.
Pick up a laptop cable lock and install tracking software.
Well, laptops are meant to be portable, but if you are going to leave it in a classroom, let's say, to get up to go to the restroom, let's say, you have a cable lock that locks it to the desk and also have tracking software installed in that laptop. So in the event that laptop is lost or stolen, tracking software will be able to locate where that laptop is anywhere in the world connected to the internet.
Alright, and install virus protection and keep it updated.
Well, nowadays, you know, with identity theft such a major issue, not having some type of virus protection on your PC laptop really is just irresponsible. Have some type of security software installed so that in the event that, you know, you're on the web that you can't download and install some type of a virus.
And you see that thing pop up, your virus protection is out of date, don't ignore it.
Yeah, don't ignore it. Pay for that licensing fee. You know, there's also free products out there that you can install as well. Make sure your PCs are up to date with all of their security softwares.
And if somebody has a problem, something is stolen, what is the first step they need to take to go ahead and try to get that back?
Well, in the event that something is stolen, you know, immediately call law enforcement, whether it's campus police, local law enforcement, principal, whatever the case is, so that you can begin the process of getting your stuff back. You know, but it all really boils down to prevention, and if you, you know, invest in the variety of different tools that are out there to prevent your stuff from being stolen in the first place, that's really the best-case scenario. Knowing that these things can happen, that thieves have their eye out on you at all times. I mean, there always has been, is, and always will be this criminal element out there. Know that there is a chance stuff can be stolen.
Alright, so take the right precautions and also use a little common sense and you should be okay. More information, you can visit Robert Siciliano's website, IDTheftSecurity.com.
Thank you.
Appreciate it, Robert Siciliano. As always, great information. We appreciate you stopping by.
