Software secures data stored on mobile computers

Mobile computing devices such as laptops are a computer user's dream, but they're a data security nightmare for systems administrators. In this scientific poster, U.S. researchers will present their use of an open-source application that allows users to prevent data loss on their mobile computers.

Called TrueCrypt, the application encrypts the data itself, offering an improvement over reliance on password protection that can be overridden by removing the mobile device's hard drive. Without a decryption key, the data can't be unencrypted, rendering the data meaningless if the laptop, net book, or portable storage device is lost, said presenter Dr. James Chen of the University of California, San Diego.

"I hope that introducing the community to this software increases its use, and propagates data encryption so that the risk of losing sensitive health data or any other sensitive data due to theft or loss of a device is diminished," Chen told AuntMinnie.com.

TrueCrypt, which Chen was not involved in creating, is a freely available, cross-platform application.