The Security Mentor

A bad guy can read all your confidential information, deprive you of the use of your computer, and cost you one or two thousand dollars by simply picking up your laptop and walking away with it.

But, of course, you lock your laptop, right?

If you're a paranoid security person, you start wondering how good the laptop locks are. The paranoid security people at anti-virus firm F-Secure had a slow day for viruses and started yanking on laptop locks.

Turns out you can open cheap laptop locks with pliers. The expensive ones are a little better. Sometimes the lock holds up and the laptop case breaks. They have photos of simulated laptop theft. If a thief has a bit more finesse, it's possible to open several popular laptop locks with a Bic pen.