Center for Information Technology
Physical Security
Several people at Oberlin College have had their computers and mobile devices stolen: students setting them down briefly in public spaces, students leaving them unattended in unlocked residence hall rooms, a faculty member traveling on the road, and staff people whose laptops were left unlocked inside their offices.
If this happened to you, would important data be lost? Would your personal data such as your Social Security Number, tax information, personal financial information, or credit card numbers be vulnerable? Would important, confidential, work-related data be vulnerable?
Lock your device when it is unattended. Most devices allow you to establish a setting that will automatically lock after a certain period of inactivity. Take advantage of this setting to ensure your computer or mobile device will lock even if you forget.
Know How to Identify Your Laptop
Write down your laptop’s serial number, MAC address, make, and model and store this information in a secure location. If your laptop is ever lost or stolen, having this information easily accessible may help in the recovery.
College-Owned Devices
If your college-owned device is stolen, contact CIT.
Personal Devices
If your personal device is lost or stolen, contact Campus Safety. Be prepared to provide as much information as possible–make, model, serial number, and MAC address, if known.