*They're just a Beltway think tank, but what a great name. Also, their boss is a guy named "Scott Borg."
*I don't think it will hurt their feelings if I publicize their recommendations about traveling with a laptop. I should do this, really. It's kind of sappy of me not to.
US-CCU Laptop Travel Guidelines
Laptop Security When Traveling Abroad
(US-CCU Guidelines)
Buy an inexpensive laptop for travel purposes (if you really need to travel with one)
Install only the applications you will actually need during the trip
Place the documents and data files you will need during the trip into a separate, secure, encrypted flash drive that you can carry in your pocket at all times
Make sure the laptop itself has not been accidentally loaded with any documents or data files, stored passwords, authentication cookies, accessories with personal information, or other sensitive settings and data
Make sure the travel laptop has a personal firewall enabled, virus protection, and the latest security patches
Put commercially sold anti-tamper seals over the travel laptop’s hard drive cover and over some of its case screws (((whoa)))
Disable all the laptop’s external communications: its wireless, infrared, Bluetooth, CD-ROM, USB port, etc. (((Ouch)))
Enable a password to use during booting
Disable booting from CDs, USB storage devices, or other external drives
Learn how to turn specific external connections back on when you need to use them, such as the USB connection for your secure flash drive
Make sure you disable an external connection each time you have finished using it
When you return home, transfer any material you need from your secure, encrypted flash drive to your other computers by sending it from an external computer. (((Yup)))
When you return home, have your cyber-security team examine the laptop for signs of hardware tampering and do a secure wipe and reload of the hard drive
Treat this laptop and flash drive in the future as outside devices that should not be directly connected to internal networks
