Stolen laptop returned to lucky professor

Posted by Joe on July 23rd, 2008

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An Indiana State University professor received and anonymous package this week which included his stolen laptop that had gone missing six days earlier. The laptop contained personal information, such as names, email addresses, academic performance data and social security numbers, of over 2,500 current and former students.

An analysis of the laptop upon its return found that none of the personal information stored on the hard drive had been accessed. This was probably due to the fact that the laptop had strong password protection which prevented unauthorized access.

While we are glad to see that the laptop returned and a data breach adverted by prior planning, this case is the exception and not the rule when it comes to laptop theft. Our recent lost and stolen laptop recovery guide includes a series of useful tips on what to do before and after your laptop is stolen in order to help eliminated hassle and identity theft risk.

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