Every 12 Seconds a Laptop is Stolen!

An FBI report issued that statement. In different report, over 12,000 laptops go missing at airports each year! And over 150 million personal files have been stolen by hackers since 2005. Also, there has been an 81% increase in stolen laptops since 2005.

Today, it is more critical to protect all your sensitive data, as well as photos on your desktop and laptop computers. Although some new computers may have installed anti-virus protection software, that doesn't stop hackers, or stolen laptops from having the data exposed. Most encryption software that is available today is easy to hack into, according to various studies.

Backing up your data will only help you know that if your hard drive crashes, you have the information on another hard drive. Yet, over 65% of computer users do not backup their data and have that issue also at risk.

Even with a secure router, hackers can easily break into your network. It's easy to find "freeware" programs on the Internet that are designed to do just that! So what is the solution? Which encryption software can stop hackers, or thieves from stealing your data?

When purchasing encryption software, look for the following: A) Manufacturer. Make sure the company has a history of developing encryption software. Who is buying and using the software. B) What level of encryption has been granted. For example, the US Government rates encryption on levels it assigns. One of the highest levels for consumer encryption is called NIST/FIPS 140-2, level 2 at 256 bits. C) The higher the bits of encryption, the more secure your data is and less likely to be hacked into. 256 is recommended. 128 bit is easily hacked and is not a good high level of software for encryption. D) Check to see if the encryption software increases the file size.

Some refer to the encryption as a wrapper. This tends to increase the size of your files and can cause problems with your system by slowing down the speed of your applications. It is best to have a compression encryption software. E) Most important, does the encryption software allow you to save just the files you want, or must you encrypt the entire hard drive. It is best to have the option to choose your files and that will keep other files on your hard drive from being exposed to potential hackers. F) Finally, will the encryption software allow you to save encrypted files onto a thumb drive, or DVD/CD. This is excellent for traveling or business trips by bringing only the files you need. It also protects your data should the thumb drive or DVD get lost or stolen.

When searching for encryption software, be careful on those that are free. If it costs nothing for the software, then it just might not be as secure as you think.

By George Carson