Cant You Still Bring A Computer On A Plane?

The world's economy has become increasingly global. It no longer matters which continent you live in because the Internet has bridged the gap albeit not the distance. And along with this ease of access to the web, we have grown a thirst to travel the world and see the places we see online for real. The popularity of backpacking has also introduced a new breed of travelers – backpackers. These travelers are low on budget but find ways to save in absolutely everything they can during their travels.

But if there’s one thing all travelers share, it’s their love for their smart gadgets (and sometimes old ones, as well!). Aside from their mobile phones, many travelers actually bring their computers with them. It affords them a longer travel time if they can also work at the same time as they go around from one place to the next. Meanwhile, there are bloggers who get paid to travel and in return, they recount all aspects of their travel to give their readers an idea of a certain place’s tourist spots, culture, and many others. Hence, they need to bring their entire tech arsenal with them since they may stay in a certain place for an extended period of time.

US authorities are considering banning carry-on computers on European flights to the United States, widening the security measure introduced for flights from eight countries in March, an official said on Tuesday.

The Department of Homeland Security is close to making a decision on a wider ban as the busy summer transatlantic travel season looms, department spokesman David Lapan said.

Airlines flying to the United States from European airports that would be involved in implementing the policy have been given a warning that it is under consideration, he told journalists.

(Via: http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-may-extend-laptop-computer-ban-on-flights-from-europe/story-gDvpj03ESm602tF6ZcRhJK.html)

The threat of terrorists is what drives governments to issue this computer ban on airline travels or force passengers to put their computers inside their checked-in luggage. However, most travelers aren’t at ease in checking in these pricey investments because of the fear of losing it or getting it broken during airport handling.

The Transportation Security Administration told CBS News in a statement, “We have not made any decisions on expanding the electronics ban; however, we are continuously assessing security directives based on intelligence and will make changes when necessary to keep travelers safe.

Former top TSA officials indicate to CBS News that a laptop ban has been at least discussed for well over a year dating back to an attack on a Somali airliner. The sense then was a total or widespread ban was impractical and would lead to outcry from business travelers who may elect not to travel if they can’t work on board.

Further issues include the amount of sensitive personal and professional information stored on laptops and tablets that would be suddenly forced into checked bags and the steep increase in the number of lithium-ion batteries in the cargo hold, which presents its own danger.

(Via: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/05/08/europe-u-k-flight-electronics-ban/)

While these computer bans aren’t permanent, we’d likely hear about them more often especially that terrorist attacks are increasing and the threat of World War 3 is spreading on the web. If possible, it’s better to leave your laptops at home to save yourself from all the hassle especially if you are traveling to the nations specified by the ban. But if not, you have to take lots of precautions to protect your belonging from damage or loss.

If you have to bring a device, make sure you at least set up a passcode or fingerprint lock and enable remote wipe in case it is stolen. Do a full backup before leaving for the airport. Experts recommend shutting the computer down completely, not just putting it into a sleep mode.

It is possible to bypass a simple passcode lock. A more secure option is to wipe a laptop or tablet clean before traveling. Koivunen recommends deleting most locally stored data as well as authentication tokens, cookies and certificates.

Since it's difficult to wipe all traces of your data from a machine, consider switching to a "burner" laptop — an inexpensive device that doesn't have sensitive information on it.

If you need to access your work or personal files at your destination, there are a couple options. You can upload it all to the cloud, but double check to make sure copies aren't also saved on your hard drive.

"While storing data in the cloud presents its own set of security concerns, it does allow for convenient remote access from nearly any computing device, even smartphones which are allowed by the recent aviation security enhancements," said Joe Levy, CTO at security firm Sophos. .

If you keep data on the device, encrypt it. Most operating systems offer built-in options for full-disk encryption.

(Via: http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/21/technology/laptop-ban-safety/)

We have little say as to what policies the government issues because it is for the common good. It may be inconvenient on our side if we are affected by these policies but we have to sacrifice a little for the good of the many. If you love to travel and the places listed on the ban happened to be a part of your itinerary, weigh your options first. Do you really need to bring your laptop with you? If you answered yes, be ready to part with your pricey laptop but first make sure you got all grounds covered so as not to lose anything on that flight or end up with a broken gadget that won’t serve its purpose anymore.

In the event that something untoward happens and you suddenly lose your data, http://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/data-recovery-tools/ can help you overcome this stressful scenario and make sure you get your lost data back as soon as possible. Data loss is inevitable. Whether you are using your computer or smart gadget, you are bound to lose data at some point in your life. It can also be due to a hard drive failure which is again inevitable if you own an older gadget. Ask for the help of http://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/how-to-choose-a-hard-drive-recovery-service/ to provide the repair that your device need without the fear of being scammed. You’d be surprised at what others are capable of doing for money’s sake. So, keep your mind at ease with our expert assistance from start to finish.

Can’t You Still Bring A Computer On A Plane? Find more on: HDRG Blog

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