T 5.22 Theft of a mobile IT system

When an IT system is used on the road, it is exposed to new threats that do not have nearly as great an impact on stationary IT systems. Mobile systems such as laptops are not usually used in rooms protected by security precautions. They are transported in cars or on public transportation, left in other peoples' offices during breaks, or left unattended in hotel rooms.

Due to these environmental factors, IT systems used while on the road are naturally exposed to a higher risk of theft. A laptop locked in the boot of a car can be stolen without this even being the original goal of the theft because if the car is stolen, then the laptop will also fall into the wrong hands.

Example:

The laptop of the managing director of a large company was stolen during a business trip. The material loss was trivial; a new laptop can be purchased in one day. Far more painful, though, was the loss of important customer data that was stored on the laptop. No backup of this data was available because it was entered over the course of the business trip.