I often advise people to backup their data in case of flooding, explosions and melted motherboards – you never know when a computer is going to go bang.
Even without that, Ransomware is always going to spoil someone’s day whether on desktop or mobile, so it pays to backup whenever you can.
There’s another good reason for backing up your data: theft.
In fact, there’s a number of things you can do where stolen devices are concerned which go beyond backing up.
Physical security is just as important, and you can read a real life example of the real world impact of a stolen device over on The Guardian. Some of the best tips include only keeping non-essential data on the machine (also good when going on a trip), proximity alarms, hard drive encryption, logging out of sessions as soon as you’re able to on another device and using a remote app to wipe the device (assuming you use one, and you left a bunch of important information on the stolen machine).
Another good one to keep in mind which isn’t mentioned (apart from only hanging out in coffee shops with people named Bourne) is placing a leg through one of your bag straps.
As the article mentions, thieves tend to be quick and the sudden sight of a person to your left clattering to the floor at the same time your strap tugs is generally a dead giveaway. While we’re at it, here’s some relevant information to keep in mind while travelling.
Christopher Boyd
