Previous Table of Contents Next


Chapter 52
Safe Mobile Computing

David Briant

Computer equipment that is stolen or damaged can cost an organization thousands of dollars in lost revenues and slowdowns in product development. Because portable equipment — including PDAs, notebooks, and cellular phones — is especially vulnerable, this chapter recommends precautions that can be taken and hardware and software that can be used to safeguard equipment.

INTRODUCTION

Every year there are thousands of insurance claims for stolen or damaged mobile computing equipment (MCE). Mobile computing equipment includes laptop computers, personal digital assistants(PDAs), cellular telephones, portable printers, and fax machines. Very few stolen computers are ever recovered.

Computer security is becoming a bigger concern as technology becomes more prolific. As the number of MCE products increases, so do theft and insurance claims. As a result, security programs are becoming more sophisticated. Without more advanced security, costs to an organization could be thousands or even millions of dollars in lost revenue or missed product development.

This chapter focuses on hardware and software that will make the equipment more secure, and on practices that the mobile computing administrator can implement to ensure that users within an organization know how to use mobile computing products effectively and safely. The mobile computing information in this chapter can help organizations make a wise initial investment in time and money to avoid the threat of equipment theft or damage in the future.

DETERMINING IF AN ORGANIZATION IS AT RISK

Repairing or replacing damaged or lost equipment costs more than spending time and money beforehand on preventative measures. Following are 10 questions to ask in determining if an organization is potentially at risk for stolen or damaged mobile computing equipment:

1.  Is portable power protection used for notebooks?
2.  Are antivirus programs installed on notebooks?
3.  Are security programs used on notebooks?
4.  Is the data on a notebook or PDA uploaded or backed up regularly?
5.  Are notebooks carried in a locked carrying case?
6.  Are headsets used for cellular telephones?
7.  Is the cellular telephone digital?
8.  Is the MCE serviceable outside the immediate area?
9.  Is the MCE only used in private (i.e., home, office)?
10.  Are photographs and serial numbers taken of mobile equipment?

If an organization’s answer is “no” to two or more questions, then there is a potential security risk.

POWER PROTECTION

Proper power protection is extremely important. An eight-millisecond power surge goes through the power lines at least once a month. A power surge when striking a low-end power bar will short out everything connected to it. The same power surge on a high-end power bar will only short out the power bar.

Power surges are also selective in what they damage or destroy. A small power surge shorts out the weakest link in the chain, such as a laser printer or fax modem, even when turned off. After every electrical storm there are numerous insurance claims for computer damage. It usually takes two to four weeks to receive replacement hardware after an insurance claim is filed. Software then has to be reloaded.

Whether the user is at home, in the office, or traveling, a clean flow of power will keep the MCE functioning properly. A high-end power bar has power filtering built into it. Higher-end power bars from American Power Conversion(APC), Panamax, and Tripp Lite include an insurance program for the repair or replacement of the computer if a power surge gets past their power bar. This insurance comes with the power bar automatically when it is purchased.

Insurance for these power bars starts at $2,500 and increases according to the level of filtering protection. If there are more extreme power fluctuations, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) should be considered. A UPS will ensure that the computer gets a constant, clean flow of power with a battery backup. Insurance for these units starts at $25,000.

When traveling in the U.S. or Canada, the electrical standards are the same. Other parts of the world have different electrical standards for power voltages, wiring, and plug configurations. Tripp Lite and APC offer international power bars and UPS units. Either of these units can be used for other electrical equipment such as televisions, VCRs, camcorders, as well as computer equipment.

COMPUTER VIRUSES

No one really knows how many computer viruses there are today. It is estimated that three new viruses are discovered every day. The people who intentionally spread viruses are rarely caught.

When a virus is detected, the recovery of the damaged software may be as simple as reloading the files. If the damage is to the boot sector of the hard drive, then the entire hard drive may have to be reformatted and all software reinstalled. Any backups should be considered suspect as having the virus in them.

An antivirus program that costs $75 could save thousands of dollars in lost business. The most popular antivirus programs are Norton Antivirus, Mac Afee, Dr. Solomon, F-Prot, and Symantec’s Central Point. If there is a virus that cannot be cleaned, the program will tell the user. The user should then contact the antivirus software supplier.

When purchasing antivirus software, disks should be purchased first and updates acquired by modem. If modems are used frequently, the virus program should be updated monthly. Otherwise, it can be updated every six months. Monthly and quarterly updates are available from most antivirus providers either by a bulletin board system or on the Internet.

The release of DOS 6.0 includes an antivirus utility program. The program is simple and does only preliminary virus checking. When the program is active, it creates problems for anyone trying to install software in Windows 3.0 or its upgrade. The new software is considered a virus to the rest of the system and will not allow it to be installed.

SECURITY PROGRAMS

Security or password programs offer a range of protection, from simple hardware access to data file access. Passwords can be applied to a single PC notebook and to a network connection. High-end data encryption programs are being developed to ensure that personal information is protected when consumers buy items on the Internet.

The simplest PC password costs nothing because it comes with the computer. The CMOS memory, or setup, contains a password program that when activated prevents unauthorized computer access. However, this program can be bypassed when the CMOS battery is drained of power and the settings have to be reentered, including the password. Many notebooks come with a password program.


Previous Table of Contents Next

Copyright © CRC Press LLC