Source: http://www.mobilecomputermag.co.uk/images/stories/advice/step-by-step/2008/03/laptop-lock.jpg

A KSAT 12 news report this evening alerted me to the fact that NorthEast ISD–where many relatives go to school–has 53 computers out in the wild with potentially confidential data on them!

An unknown amount of computers made it into public sales forums such as flea markets and online classified ads, prompting the district to launch an investigation into its contract with the CTBI company. A recent examination of the vendor’s warehouse found 53 computers that can’t be accounted for, according to district officials.”We don’t know for certain that these are out there in the public or even that they have private information on them,” said NEISD spokeswoman Deb Caldwell. “We just want to be safe and do the right thing and be responsible in telling our parents this has happened.”
Source: KSAT 12 News – 05/05/2009

Why can’t schools follow 5 simple rules of protecting confidential data?

1. Don’t release equipment to the public without destroying the hard drive or
2. Wiping hard drives with Darik’s Boot-n-Nuke (no cost)
3. Encrypting any and all data that does find its way onto a computer using a GPG solution
4. Creating encrypted file containers with TrueCrypt
5. Establish a procedure that empowers campus and district staff (not just one or the other) to take action about wiping confidential data.

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