Six good ideas to guard your computer, and your ID, when traveling

If you travel with your laptop this summer, move any personal information off the hard drive before you go. That will reduce the chance of identity theft if the machine is lost or stolen.

This useful advice tops a list of guidelines from Robert Ono, information technology security coordinator for UC Davis, in "Security tips for safe travel computing during your summer and quarter breaks," a new post on the campus security website.

The personal information can be moved to an external hard drive or storage device, Ono writes, adding, "Do you really need your tax forms, or possibly tax forms of others, on your hard drive?" He suggests using IdentityFinder--access is free to UC Davis students through the campus software website--to search your computer for other records that might contain personal identity data.

The article contains six easy-to-follow suggestions to optimize "your chances for safe computing during your break," including:

• Back up your computer before leaving.
• Don't use the same password for all your accounts.
• Don't post your travel plans on your social media accounts.

Read the complete list at security.ucdavis.edu.