To protect laptops – you might consider BIOS and/or hard drive passwords to make it more difficult for a thief to access data on a stolen machine. For really sensitive data, you might consider an encryption scheme. All of these things require time and energy of the user of course, so you will need to find a balance that works for your company.

If you’re using public WiFi access points, make sure your data is secure by using encryption or a personal firewall. If you’re connecting to your company’s network, use VPN. Be aware of prying eyes and prying hackers in public zones.

For more suggestions on keeping data safe when you travel or work remotely, see: http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=164901799