How To Protect Data When Servicing Computer

Personal Tech | Keeping Data Secure When Your Laptop Is in the Store

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/technology/personaltech/laptop-data-repairs.html

Tech Tip

Keeping Information Secure When Your Laptop Is in the Shop

December. 6, 2017

Q. I need to take my laptop to get its dead battery replaced, just I'm worried almost other people being able to meet my files. How tin I make sure no 1 working on the computer can get into my personal information?

A. Your estimator repair shop probably has a checklist of things to exercise before you drop off the laptop, only kickoff past doing a total backup of your organisation then you lot take a copy of all your files in case something inadvertently happens when the machine is open on the work table. Fixes like bombardment or keyboard replacement, retention upgrades and jack repair should not affect the data on the hard drive, but making a complete backup should provide peace of mind in example of complications.

Equally for the security of the data on the drive, you can lock up personal folders that you would like to keep private with encryption software — or encrypt the whole hard drive if you practise not call back the technicians will demand to log into the computer. Windows 10 Professional person includes a utility called BitLocker, and macOS has a disk-encryption tool called FileVault y'all can utilize to lock up the contents of your disk behind a password; third-political party encryption software like VeraCrypt is available for systems without congenital-in security features.

The FileVault tool is one option Mac users have for encrypting data on a computer's hard drive. — Credit... The New York Times

If you lot think a technician volition need to start upwardly your computer to verify the results or assist with the repair, you may want to have other privacy precautions, like deleting browser history and stored passwords, and whatsoever files that incorporate financial or identity information. Unless the technician needs to apply an ambassador account, creating a guest or limited user business relationship can also keep the intrusions to a minimum. If an administrator business relationship is needed, disabling the password or changing it temporarily lets yous avoid sharing the real ane.