Response Speed Is Key with Stolen Laptops

It's the call that no IT manager wants to receive, but one that's clearly ringing bells across the world of enterprise security: An employee's laptop computer has been stolen, and it may contain sensitive data.

As a spate of recent incidents make clear, laptop computer thefts and the related data exposure are a serious issue, with organizations ranging from the U.S. Navy to financial services giant Fidelity Investments reporting incidents in the last six months alone.

Experts say the manner in which companies respond to such incidents, and the strategies they employ to improve their device security, will determine the impact that stolen laptops will have in putting affected companies' information at risk.