From: Bruce Terry (terry@bible.acu.edu)
Date: Mon Apr 15 1996 - 11:59:43 EDT
Our systems manager forwarded the following warning to all of us at the
College of Biblical and Family Studies here and I thought it worthy of sharing
with all of you.  I am still wondering about the wisdom of putting a laptop
through an X-ray machine anyway.  Don't X-rays destroy the data on hard disks
as well as floppies?
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Bruce Terry                            E-MAIL: terry@bible.acu.edu
Box 8426, ACU Station                  Phone:  915/674-3759
Abilene, Texas 79699                   Fax:    915/674-3769
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Subject: ! Laptop Security Alert
Author:  Fannie Mae at FM-FS27A
Date:    4/10/96 3:08 PM
Corporate Security Office
Laptop Security Alert
     
We've recently learned of a hustle that's being employed at airports to 
steal laptop computers.  It involves two persons who look for a victim 
carrying a laptop approaching a metal detector.  They position themselves 
in front of the unsuspecting passenger.  They stall until the mark puts the 
laptop computer on the conveyor belt.  Then the first subject moves through 
the metal detector easily.  The second subject intentionally sets off the 
metal detector and begins a slow process of emptying pockets, removing 
jewelry, etc.  While this is happening, the first subject takes the laptop 
as soon as it appears on the conveyor belt and moves away quickly.   When 
the passenger finally gets through the metal detector, the laptop is gone. 
The subject that picks it up heads into the gate area and disappears among 
the crowd.  Sometimes a third subject will take a hand off from the first 
subject, and the computer is out of the restricted area before the mark even 
knows that it's gone.
     
When traveling with a laptop computer, try to avoid lines to enter a metal 
detector when possible.  When you can't do that, delay putting your luggage 
and laptop on the conveyor belt until you are sure that you will be the 
next person through the metal detector.  As you move through the metal 
detector, keep your eyes on the conveyor belt and watch for your luggage and 
laptop to come through as well as watching for what those in front of you 
are picking up.
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