Securing the laptop and its owner

How to protect your laptop

How to protect yourself from a laptop

With regard to interaction with a laptop, the security problem splits into two components: how to ensure the safety of the laptop and how to protect the user from negative impacts mobile system.

A laptop is quite durable. Nevertheless, there are many situations in the surrounding world that can ruin portable PC.

It may seem strange, but most laptops die under very trivial circumstances. No extreme - fire, tornado, flood or earthquake - is required for this. Let's list the main dangers of laptop computers.

Coffee. As well as soda, tea, champagne and other drinks. If they get inside the mobile computer, it is possible short circuit, disabling the keyboard adapter, and therefore motherboard on which it is mounted. Such damage is not considered a warranty case, so you will have to pay for both the spare part itself and the work of the service center engineers. In terms of cost, it will not cost much less than a new laptop. Perhaps the situation will develop in a different, even less pleasant scenario: a short circuit will damage not only the motherboard, but also other components of the laptop. In the worst case, you will have to say goodbye not only to a mobile computer (repairing a burned-out one will cost significantly more than buying a new one), but also to the data on the hard drive.

Today, more and more laptops appear that have a "coffee-proof" keyboard: under the rows of keys they have a sealed gasket that protects the "insides" of the computer from spilled liquid. Very often this solution is equipped with a kind of "storm sewer" - grooves through which part of the liquid can flow out on its own. However, even such a laptop should be protected from any drinks: when they dry, they leave behind streaks of a sticky mass, and this leads to sticky keys. You will hardly be able to wash the laptop yourself, therefore, you will have to contact a service center.

Advice

Never drink anything while sitting at the keyboard!

Condensate. Moisture can enter the laptop not only when a glass or mug is tipped over on it, but also in the form of condensation, in particular, when the warm air of the room comes into contact with the cold surface of an object brought from the street. Like any electrical device, the laptop should not be turned on immediately after being in the cold - wait 20-30 minutes. During this time, the laptop will have time to warm up to temperature environment and the moisture evaporates.

Shocks and vibrations. Of course, a laptop is more durable than any desktop system. The Notebook PC is designed for frequent transportation, during which it is exposed to shocks and shocks and other mechanical stress.

Moreover, the laptop can even work in such conditions. However, it is better not to test your mobile computer for strength, but to take care of its safety.

Transport your laptop in a specialized case, in which the laptop is securely fixed with straps, and is protected from external shocks by layers of foam rubber or other material of similar properties. Also, never check your laptop in your luggage, but take it with you as carry-on luggage.

If you need to use your laptop on the road, try turning it off when the aircraft is vibrating strongly, rocking a train, or driving on a bumpy road. The most vulnerable spot of a switched-on laptop is a hard drive, the head of which "hovers" several microns above the surface of the disk during operation. Unplanned contact of these components can occur from external mechanical influences, which is not beneficial to either the head or the disk. For other mechanical elements - and they are not only in the hard drive, but also in the CD-ROM drive - shaking is also undesirable, although less destructive.

The display requires a particularly respectful attitude. Do not close the laptop abruptly - this may cause mechanical damage delicate matrix of the screen. Do not lift or carry an open mobile computer by holding the top half. The matrix can also be easily damaged by impacting its back, for example by placing something heavy on closed laptop, you risk damaging or crushing the panel.

Temperature drops. Cold can damage a laptop's LCD panel, so it is best to keep your laptop from cooling below 5 ° C.

Overcooling is also harmful for batteries - this can significantly reduce their effective capacity. Moreover, for low temperatures batteries lose their existing charge, resulting in reduced time autonomous work laptop.

Heat for electronic components also, to put it mildly, not useful. Overheating of the inside of a laptop can be caused by accidentally closing the ventilation grilles of the laptop (Figure 10.1). The passport of most laptops states that they can operate at temperatures no higher than 30–35 ° C. Of course, overheating does not always lead to a laptop breakdown, but unstable work system (in particular, freezing) under such conditions is ensured. By the way, carrying a switched-on laptop in a case can lead to overheating. Fortunately, most laptops implement forced inclusion sleep mode when you close the lid.

Rice. 10.1. Overheating of the inside of a laptop can be caused by accidentally closing the ventilation grilles of the laptop.

It is known that the temperature of objects placed in direct sunlight is much higher than the ambient air and can reach 60–80 ° C, so do not let your laptop "sunbathe"!

Direct sunlight - especially those rich in ultraviolet light - can be harmful to an LCD monitor. Avoid exposing an open laptop to direct sunlight, even if the monitor is turned off.

Overheating is also dangerous for batteries. Like hypothermia, work under conditions elevated temperature leads to faster self-discharge processes, that is, shortens the battery life of the laptop, and also causes premature battery wear. Theoretically, overheating can lead to a complete failure of the laptop battery, but situations in which the batteries are able to heat up to the temperatures necessary for this, in Everyday life are rare.

Advice

Do not keep the laptop in the immediate vicinity of heating appliances. This can lead to overheating of the system.

Dust. It is especially harmful to the keyboard and CD-ROM drive. Dust particles act as an abrasive powder, contributing to accelerated wear of the mechanical components of these devices. You should also not smoke with your laptop - tobacco is harmful not only for humans (tobacco smoke, by the way, is the smallest particles that have all the properties of ordinary dust).

Note

Dust and other types of pollution on a laptop pose a very serious danger not so much for the computer as for the user!

"Unfiltered" food. In the Russian power network, interference of a very different plan is often encountered: from smooth and insignificant voltage deviations from 220 V to interference in almost all areas of the frequency spectrum and, which is most dangerous for any electronics, including laptops, short impulse voltage surges to values several hundred volts. Such an impulse coming from the outlet will burn your laptop's power supply, and maybe the entire computer.

Caution never hurts: use a UPS or at least a surge protector. The relevance of this recommendation increases many times over if you intend to use a laptop in a small town, village or summer cottage settlement.

Be sure to unplug your laptop during a thunderstorm. If you want to work by lightning, use battery power.

Many users forget about the existence of another cable connection, the sudden voltage spike in which can destroy the computer - the connection to telephone line... Under normal conditions, for better safety of your equipment, connect it to telephone network through devices similar to power line filters. These, of course, are not for sale on every corner, but if you plan to surf the Internet using dial-up access while out of town, then it’s better to find a similar “telephone filter”. By the way, many network filters(for example, from APC) also contain a surge protection filter in the telephone line. In a thunderstorm, be sure to unplug your laptop from the telephone socket.

Craftsmen. Any equipment needs repair from time to time, and a laptop is no exception. However, if you have any problems with the hardware of your laptop, in no case contact folk craftsmen (see Chapters 8 and 9)!

Abduction. Often mobile computers are "mobilized" by outsiders without the knowledge of their owner. A laptop is a tasty treat for thieves. There are not many thousands of dollars worth of items that are easy for a thief to carry away in his hands. Outside your own home, if possible, do not leave your laptop unattended, not only in public places and in transport, but also in the office.

Almost every mobile computer has a Kensington Lock (see Chapter 7). We strongly recommend that you purchase a special cable and actively use it when using your laptop in any places where you are not only.

Almost all of the components of "second nature", to which, no doubt, computers are, are dangerous for us: hamburgers lead to obesity, soap dries the skin, etc. However, we cannot do without these things. Therefore, the only way out is to learn how to exploit them so that they bring maximum benefit and minimum harm.

Consider the potential hazards posed by laptop computers.

Working for keyboard laptop, the keys of which are located in straight rows, you have to bend your wrists (this, by the way, is also true for conventional keyboards). Maintaining such a bend for a long period of time leads to fatigue of certain muscles of the forearms and causes painful sensations, and sometimes even leads to the development of diseases.

If you periodically have to type large chunks of text, then it is better to abandon the traditional "straight board" and purchase ergonomic solutions that offer Microsoft, Logitech and some other manufacturers. Such keyboards are obligingly curved in an optimal way, so that the hands do not overextend.

Advice

We should not forget about one simple technique that we were taught in the first grade: after every hour of work, take a break for 10-15 minutes. Moreover, this should always be done, even during the preparation of the annual report or thesis... Health is more expensive!

Screen. If it is built on the basis of a liquid crystal panel, then it practically does not flicker, and the image on it is flat and rectangular. If you are afraid electromagnetic radiation, then we hasten to please you: LCD monitors, in comparison with conventional electron-beam ones, practically do not emit it - there are simply no electron guns and beam scanning systems, which actively "fade" in the radio range, in LCD monitors.

However, laptop displays can pose another rather serious hazard. If the brightness and contrast of the image on the screens of new models of mobile computers is sufficient for comfortable work, then on older systems the corresponding display parameters may not reach the desired values.

The optimal brightness of the monitor should match the brightness of the illuminated sheet of paper - in this case, the user's eyes will not have to readjust when looking from the screen to surrounding objects and back. The strong difference between the degrees of brightness of the display and the surrounding objects exerts a significant strain on the eyes. Our organs of vision already work in extreme mode spending hours sorting out small black letters on a luminous background, and the additional load is extremely undesirable!

Advice

Even when working on good monitor observe the "45 + 15" rule, that is, after each academic hour, give your eyes a 15-minute rest.

At long work on an "older" laptop it is better to connect external monitor(by the way, the refresh rate of the image must be at least 75 Hz, otherwise you are guaranteed not only eye fatigue, but also a headache).

Advice

If you often work on your laptop in poor lighting conditions, purchase a USB floor lamp to illuminate your keyboard (see Chapter 7).

Viruses. And also bacteria, fungi and other "flora and fauna" that have taken root in the laptop are also dangerous for the user. All this infection very freely feels itself in the dust particles that have settled on the keyboard, screen and other surfaces (including the internal one) of the laptop. Particles of the user's hair, skin and sweat accumulate there. This problem typical not only for laptops, but also for any "keyboard-containing" systems: desktop computers, handsets (both conventional and mobile), calculators, etc.

Note

Studies have shown that in terms of the concentration of pathogens, keyboards even surpass ... toilets! The reason is simple: firstly, toilets are cleaned much more often, secondly, with the use of special antibacterial agents, and dust is only occasionally brushed off keyboards.

All these substances, together with the bacteria they contain in abundance, fall on the user's fingers, with which he subsequently touches the face, eyes, takes objects and food ...

To relieve yourself of skin problems, conjunctivitis and indigestion, you just need to follow the well-known to all of us since primary school the thesis “cleanliness is the guarantee of health”.

At least twice a week, clean your entire laptop - the case, screen, pointing device and especially the keyboard - from the resulting dirt! We recommend purchasing a set of specialized wet wipes for cleaning office equipment for this purpose. They are convenient for cleaning computer surfaces and do not leave marks or fibers. A soft brush (any paintbrush will work) will help you get rid of dust and crumbs lodged between the keys.

Do not eat while using your laptop! Even if it sparkles with a freshly cleaned keyboard. There is no need to dirty a good thing, besides, risking your health.

The heating. During operation, the laptop heats up (especially from the bottom). If you work with the laptop on your knees or on your stomach, then prolonged heating becomes very noticeable, and for men this is extremely undesirable (Fig.10.2).

Rice. 10.2. Only women can put a laptop on their lap

Thus, try not to use your own body as a laptop stand. If there is no other way out, then place several layers of a blanket or blanket between you and the case of the laptop. Just make sure that the stand does not block the ventilation holes or interfere with the cooling of the laptop. The case of a diplomat is well suited for this purpose ... And yet: try to put the laptop next to you, and not on yourself.

Very important in modern world... Due to the compactness of a laptop, an intruder can steal it, and he will gain access to all stored information.

A laptop is a compact and portable computer that is convenient to take with you. Many people use the same laptop at work and at home. It can store a large number of important and valuable information... It is very important that when a laptop is stolen, you lose not only expensive electronic device, but also important and possibly confidential information.

Many people believe that for the safety of a laptop, it is enough to put a password on an account, and your valuable data will be saved from intruders. This is a big misconception. Any advanced computer user can reset the password and gain access to the operating system. To protect your laptop, there are special programs to protect your laptop and data and provide you with virtually complete safety laptop.

Programs to protect laptop and information

Consider the most popular programs, to protect the laptop and the information on it.

Snuko Anti-Theft & Data Recovery

This program includes data encryption tools, laptop location tracking, online service and alarms. There are paid and free versions of the program. With Snuko Anti-Theft & Data recovery laptop security will be at its best.

During the installation of the program, you will create an account at Snuko.com. Logging into your account, you can in the device control panel, send commands to the stolen laptop (if it is connected to the Internet).

When the program receives a signal that the computer is stolen, it begins to encrypt the data (only in paid version). Important data should be noted in the program settings. If a laptop is found, you can decrypt the data or download this data from an online service.

In addition to sending commands, you can do backup important data and lock the computer (of course, after making a copy of important data).

To catch an intruder, Snuko Anti-Theft & Data Recovery saves the IP addresses from which the thief went online, takes photos and videos from the webcam, monitors the movement of the laptop from using Wi-Fi and GPS. All this data can be obtained by you from your account control panel.

In general, very good program that will not only protect your laptop and data, but also help you find the attacker.

LAlarm program is better signaling for laptop. The big plus is that it's free for non-commercial use.

The signaling principle is quite simple. Leave the laptop on the table with a network cable or flash drive plugged in (it is better if it is tied with a cord or cable to a stationary object) on your desk and go away. When an attacker grabs a laptop, he will need to disconnect network cable or a USB flash drive. At this moment the alarm will turn on. Not knowing how to disable it, an attacker will most likely give up the idea of ​​stealing your laptop. The alarm can also be triggered if the user is absent for a long time (you set the time yourself).

In addition to signaling, when trying to steal a laptop, LAlarm can send letters to E-mail, SMS messages or launch applications.

If your laptop is nevertheless stolen, then LAlarm can automatically encrypt or delete important data (navels with important data should be noted in the program settings) and they will not get to the attacker. The rightful owner will be able to recover encrypted and deleted data without much effort.

The disadvantage of this program is the inability to copy data to the cloud or a remote server. In addition, the owner cannot control his laptop remotely. Overall good free program, but the security of the laptop is ensured only by alarms and data encryption.

Prey

The program is very similar to Snuko Anti-Theft & Data Recovery. There is also an account registration from which you can control your computer. The program comes in paid and free versions. In the free version, you can work with 3 laptops on your account.

Working with the device is carried out by means of sending commands and is very similar to Snuko Anti-Theft & Data Recovery. You can turn on the alarm, lock the computer, make backup data, capture the robber on the camera, view the list of modified files and applications.

In general, in its functionality, Prey is very similar to Snuko Anti-Theft & Data Recovery and is capable of ensuring laptop security at the proper level. The only downside to Prey is that it doesn't have the ability to copy files from the laptop to the server.

Using these programs, you can protect your laptop from theft, save data and information, or find an intruder. Remember the safety of your laptop is in your hands.

All reviews about the work of these programs and your methods of protecting your laptop, you can write in the comments.

How to protect your laptop

A laptop is quite durable. Nevertheless, there are many situations in the surrounding world that can ruin a laptop.

It may seem strange, but most laptops die under very trivial circumstances. No extreme - fire, tornado, flood or earthquake - is required for this. Let's list the main dangers of laptop computers.

Coffee. As well as soda, tea, champagne and other drinks. If they get inside the mobile computer, a short circuit is possible, which destroys the keyboard adapter, and, consequently, the motherboard on which it is mounted. Such damage is not considered a warranty case, so you will have to pay for both the spare part itself and the work of the service center engineers. In terms of cost, it will not cost much less than a new laptop. Perhaps the situation will develop in a different, even less pleasant scenario: a short circuit will damage not only the motherboard, but also other components of the laptop. In the worst case, you will have to say goodbye not only to a mobile computer (repairing a burned-out one will cost significantly more than buying a new one), but also to the data on the hard drive.

Today, more and more laptops appear that have a "coffee-proof" keyboard: under the rows of keys they have a sealed gasket that protects the "insides" of the computer from spilled liquid. Very often this solution is equipped with a kind of "storm sewer" - grooves through which part of the liquid can flow out on its own. However, even such a laptop should be protected from any drinks: when they dry, they leave behind streaks of a sticky mass, and this leads to sticky keys. You will hardly be able to wash the laptop yourself, therefore, you will have to contact a service center.

Advice

Never drink anything while sitting at the keyboard!

Condensate. Moisture can enter the laptop not only when a glass or mug is tipped over on it, but also in the form of condensation, in particular, when the warm air of the room comes into contact with the cold surface of an object brought from the street. Like any electrical device, the laptop should not be turned on immediately after being in the cold - wait 20-30 minutes. During this time, the laptop will have time to warm up to ambient temperature, and the moisture will evaporate.

Shocks and vibrations. Of course, a laptop is more durable than any desktop system. The Notebook PC is designed for frequent transportation, during which it is exposed to shocks and shocks and other mechanical stress.

Moreover, the laptop can even work in such conditions. However, it is better not to test your mobile computer for strength, but to take care of its safety.

Transport your laptop in a specialized case, in which the laptop is securely fixed with straps, and is protected from external shocks by layers of foam rubber or other material of similar properties. Also, never check your laptop in your luggage, but take it with you as carry-on luggage.

If you need to use your laptop on the road, try turning it off when the aircraft is vibrating strongly, rocking a train, or driving on a bumpy road. The most vulnerable spot of a switched-on laptop is a hard drive, the head of which "hovers" several microns above the surface of the disk during operation. Unplanned contact of these components can occur from external mechanical influences, which is not beneficial to either the head or the disk. For other mechanical elements - and they are not only in the hard drive, but also in the CD-ROM drive - shaking is also undesirable, although less destructive.

The display requires a particularly respectful attitude. Do not abruptly close the laptop - this can cause mechanical damage to the delicate matrix of the screen. Do not lift or carry an open mobile computer by holding the top half. The matrix is ​​also easily damaged by impact on its back, for example, placing something heavy on a closed laptop, you risk damaging or crushing the panel.

Temperature drops. Cold can damage a laptop's LCD panel, so it is best to keep your laptop from cooling below 5 ° C.

Overcooling is also harmful for batteries - this can significantly reduce their effective capacity. In addition, in low temperatures, the batteries lose their existing charge, resulting in reduced laptop battery life.

Heat is also not good for electronic components, to put it mildly. Overheating of the inside of a laptop can be caused by accidentally closing the ventilation grilles of the laptop (Figure 10.1). The passport of most laptops states that they can operate at temperatures no higher than 30–35 ° C. Of course, overheating does not always lead to a laptop breakdown, but unstable system operation (in particular, freezing) under such conditions is ensured. By the way, carrying a switched-on laptop in a case can lead to overheating. Fortunately, most laptops are forced to hibernate when the lid is closed.

Rice. 10.1. Overheating of the inside of a laptop can be caused by accidentally closing the ventilation grilles of the laptop.

It is known that the temperature of objects placed in direct sunlight is much higher than the ambient air and can reach 60–80 ° C, so do not let your laptop "sunbathe"!

Direct sunlight - especially those rich in ultraviolet light - can be harmful to an LCD monitor. Avoid exposing an open laptop to direct sunlight, even if the monitor is turned off.

Overheating is also dangerous for batteries. Like hypothermia, working in hot conditions leads to faster self-discharge processes, that is, it reduces the battery life of the laptop, and also causes premature battery wear. In theory, overheating can lead to the complete failure of a laptop battery, but situations in which the batteries are able to heat up to the temperatures necessary for this are rare in everyday life.

Advice

Do not keep the laptop in the immediate vicinity of heating appliances. This can lead to overheating of the system.

Dust. It is especially harmful to the keyboard and CD-ROM drive. Dust particles act as an abrasive powder, contributing to accelerated wear of the mechanical components of these devices. You should also not smoke with your laptop - tobacco is harmful not only for humans (tobacco smoke, by the way, is the smallest particles that have all the properties of ordinary dust).

Note

Dust and other types of pollution on a laptop pose a very serious danger not so much for the computer as for the user!

"Unfiltered" food. In the Russian power network, interference of a very different plan is often encountered: from smooth and insignificant voltage deviations from 220 V to interference in almost all areas of the frequency spectrum and, which is most dangerous for any electronics, including laptops, short impulse voltage surges to values several hundred volts. Such an impulse coming from the outlet will burn your laptop's power supply, and maybe the entire computer.

Caution never hurts: use a UPS or at least a surge protector. The relevance of this recommendation increases many times over if you intend to use a laptop in a small town, village or summer cottage settlement.

Be sure to unplug your laptop during a thunderstorm. If you want to work by lightning, use battery power.

Many users forget that there is another cable connection where a sudden surge in voltage can kill a computer - a telephone line connection. Under normal conditions, for greater safety of your equipment, connect it to the telephone network through devices similar to surge protectors for the power network. These, of course, are not for sale on every corner, but if you plan to surf the Internet using dial-up access while being out of town, it’s better to find a similar “telephone filter”. By the way, many surge protectors (for example, from APC) also contain a surge protection filter in the telephone line. In a thunderstorm, be sure to unplug your laptop from the telephone socket.

Craftsmen. Any equipment needs repair from time to time, and a laptop is no exception. However, if you have any problems with the hardware of your laptop, in no case contact folk craftsmen (see Chapters 8 and 9)!

Abduction. Often, mobile computers are “mobilized” by outsiders without the knowledge of their owner. A laptop is a tasty treat for thieves. There are not many thousands of dollars worth of items that are easy for a thief to carry away in his hands. Outside your own home, if possible, do not leave your laptop unattended, not only in public places and in transport, but also in the office.

Almost every mobile computer has a Kensington Lock (see Chapter 7). We strongly recommend that you purchase a special cable and actively use it when using your laptop in any places where you are not only.