Businesses Lost 86,000 Laptops Worth $2.1 billion

It seems people are a little careless with company laptops.

According to a study conducted by the Ponemom Institute found that 329 businesses have lost more than 86,000 laptops with a combined value of $2.1 billion. The survey, which was sponsored by Intel, suggested airports and train stations are not the riskiest places for a lost or stolen notebook: 40% of losses happen at "seemingly safe" locations such as homes and hotel rooms. The main reasons for the $2.1 billion loss estimate were not the cost of hardware, but data breach, lost intellectual property, reduced productivity and legal and regulatory charges.

Ponemom says that the chance of workers misplacing their laptops or having them stolen is about 5 to 10% over a timeframe of 3 years, depending on the industry that the company is in. Educational and research institutions reported the most lost or stolen laptops (11%), while the safest laptop owners are in the financial industry.

Intel has an interest in the results of this study, of course, and not just because it can contribute to further chip sales. Intel promotes its Anti-Theft technology, which also ties in with the recent acquisition of McAfee, which will play a significant role in adding security to hardware.