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Hain · 07-04-2008, 06:06 AM

Want another reason to encrypt your system? An article linked through Information Week:

Quote:

View: [ANCHOR]Laptop Losses Total 12,000 Per Week at US Airports[/ANCHOR] (link)
Source: Darkreading (http://www.darkreading.com)

Abstract: "Nearly 70% are never recovered; many go unreported"

Quote:

Laptop Losses Total 12,000 Per Week at US Airports
JULY 2, 2008 | 6:00 PM
by Tim Wilson
from Darkreading, http://www.darkreading.com

Companies lose a lot more laptops than they disclose, according to a report published Monday.

According to a study of 106 major U.S. airports and 800 business travelers published by the Ponemon Institute and Dell Computer, about 12,000 laptops are lost in airports each week. Only 30 percent of travelers ever recover the lost devices. Nearly half of the travelers say their laptops contain customer data or confidential business information.

The report offers a very different view from sources that collect breach disclosure information, such as Attrition.org, where only a few companies disclose laptop thefts each week. Many employees are embarrassed to report the loss of a laptop, and many companies don't report them, experts say.

"It’s staggering to learn that up to 600,000 laptops are lost in U.S. airports annually, many containing sensitive information that companies must account for," said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. "IT departments must re-evaluate the steps they’re taking to protect mobile professionals, the laptops they carry, and company data stored on mobile devices."

Dell used the report to support its launch of Dell ProSupport Mobility Services, a suite of modular asset and data protection services to help companies protect laptop computers and company information, especially when the computers are lost.

The Ponemon study indicates that most airport laptop losses occur at the security checkpoints or at the departure gates, where it's easy to leave things behind. More than 70 percent of business travelers say they feel rushed when trying to get on their flights, and 69 percent said they are usually carrying too many items while trying to catch their flights.

Los Angeles's LAX reported more laptop losses than any other airport, about 1,200 per week. Most of the airports said they generally keep the laptops for some period of times, then destroy them if they are unclaimed.

Sixty-five percent of the business travelers admit that they do not take steps to protect the confidential information contained on their laptops when traveling on business, according to the study. Forty-two percent say they don't back up their data before going on a trip. Fewer than 20 percent of respondents said they have whole disk encryption or file encryption on their machines.

Interestingly, only 1 percent of the respondents admitted personally losing a laptop computer. However, 84 percent say they know someone who has lost a laptop while traveling on business.

Go to Laptop Losses Total 12,000 Per Week at US Airports from Darkreading, http://www.darkreading.com.This post was created with FASS.

30% of 12,000 are returned: that leaves 8,400 laptops never recovered.

Aviation Week posted a similar article on the matter.

Quote:

View: [ANCHOR]12,000 Laptops Lost Weekly At U.S. Airports[/ANCHOR] (link)
Source: Aviationweek (http://www.aviationweek.com)

Abstract: "A new study sponsored by the Dell computer company estimates that more than 12,000 laptop computers are lost or stolen each week at U.S. airports, and only 33% of those that turn up in "lost and found" are reclaimed."

Quote:

Full Article click to show

12,000 Laptops Lost Weekly At U.S. Airports
Jul 3, 2008
by David Hughes
from Aviationweek, http://www.aviationweek.com

A new study sponsored by the Dell computer company estimates that more than 12,000 laptop computers are lost or stolen each week at U.S. airports, and only 33% of those that turn up in "lost and found" are reclaimed.

The other 67% remain in the airport awhile before being disposed of, meaning there are "potentially millions of files containing sensitive or confidential data that may be accessible to a large number of airport employees and contractors," the study issued on June 30 reports.

Ponemon Institute LLC, a for-profit research organization and consultancy that focuses on privacy issues, began the lost laptop study, and Dell later agreed to became a sponsor. However, Dell did announce a new computer security service it plans to offer to corporations on June 30, showing that it does have a dog in this fight. Ponemon does research on the trust in privacy and information security practices in the banking, retail, telecommunications and airline industries as well as in government. The chairman and founder of the Institute, Larry Ponemon, was previously global managing partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he founded the firm's privacy practice. Researchers visited 106 airports in the U.S. and surveyed 864 business travelers.

The research numbers are believe able, according Airports Council International North America. Charles Chambers, senior vice president of security for ACI-NA, says based on a back-of-the-envelope calculation, thinks the 12,000 per week prediction is plausible. He notes that the percentage of laptops lost is small when viewed in terms of the total number of passengers traveling. Only less than one half of one percent of the roughly 3.5 million business travelers flying each week would have to lose their laptops to reach the 12,000 number, he notes.

Ponemon did field research at 106 airports in 46 states, interviewing several people at each location because missing laptops that are recovered can end up with the airport, with airlines, police or even be kept in a frequent flyer lounge until a passenger returns to claim it.

The study states that the major (Class B) airports with the biggest problems are Los Angeles International, where 1,200 laptops are lost or stolen each week, and Miami International, with 1,000. New York City airports weigh in at positions three, five and six with John F. Kennedy International having 900 laptops lost or stolen each week, Newark Liberty International 825, and LaGuardia 630. There are 36 Class B airports in the U.S. and the average loss is 286 laptops per week.

Not surprisingly, 40% of laptops are lost at security checkpoints where procedures require passengers to separate from their property during electronic screening and pat downs. The Transportation Security Administration did not reply to a request for information on how many laptops go missing each year at airport security checkpoints.

More than 53% of business travelers say their laptops contain confidential or sensitive information, but 65% of these people admit they don't take steps to protect it. Yet the average business cost when confidential personal information is lost or stolen is $197 per record, according to another Ponemon study.

A full copy of the report can be found here. (pdf)

Go to 12,000 Laptops Lost Weekly At U.S. Airports from Aviationweek, http://www.aviationweek.com.This post was created with FASS.