Pop quiz: Name the three places laptops and other mobile devices are most likely to be stolen. You probably know the answer is airports, mass transit systems and automobiles, but I didn't, and there are likely a fair number of laptop users at your company who don't either.

According to the FBI, only 3 percent of stolen laptops are ever recovered. Most people probably agree that the surest way to protect company data on mobile devices is via software that permits remote file retrieval and deletion, but there are a number of good practices users can employ to protect the devices themselves.

Awareness Technologies recently sent out a list of tips to prevent laptop theft, beginning with the obvious one of not leaving the device out in public places (like airports and subways) for thieves to target. Other common-sense tips include using encryption on the data and using strong passwords (that are not written on sticky notes stuck to the device). 

There are a couple less-obvious tips that your users might consider as well. They could customize the look of their laptops and cases so they can't be mistaken for someone else's--which is a common cause of lost devices. Also, they could put up a screen guard when using a laptop in public so strangers can't get a look at the content.

Happy and save travels this holiday season. - Caron