KU News Release

KU offers advice to students on securing personal information

LAWRENCE — University of Kansas students soon will be outfitting apartments, buying textbooks and restocking desks with their favorite brand of highlighters — maybe even getting a new computer.

But students should also fill their shopping carts with items designed to keep documents and personal information safe and secure throughout the year.

Apartment and utility deposits
When writing important checks for expenses such as rent or tuition, consider a pen designed to prevent check washing. The added bonus: it can be used to sign other important documents, not to mention take notes.

Flash drives
Students who already have a USB key that can be used to tote files around from place to place should consider an encryption utility to protect sensitive files stored on the key. Many USB drives come with encryption software built in and are easy to use.

Bills
Disposing of old bills and credit card applications can lead to identity theft. A paper shredder will ensure that nobody is going on a shopping spree at the student’s expense.

Documents
For those documents that need to be kept private, consider a locking file cabinet. If a fire-resistant model is too expensive, consider purchasing a small fire safe. They usually cost less than $50 and provide a fire resistant (and in some cases, water resistant) place to store passports, extra checks, credit cards, important receipts, backups of electronic documents, Social Security cards and other sensitive documents. The safes usually come with two keys. Students should keep one with them and the other in a place that’s likely to be fire resistant, such as a freezer.

Computers
When picking up software for a new laptop, consider a subscription to a service like LoJack for Laptops. If a laptop is stolen, it electronically contacts the service, which can track it down and assist law enforcement in recovery efforts. The only downside: the thief has to connect to the Internet for LoJack to work its magic.

As tempting as it might be, don’t buy that nifty bag that matches the new laptop. There are plenty of bags out there that look more like standard backpacks or messenger bags and less like they contain a brand new computer. They’re nice and padded but slim enough to slip inside a “there’s nothing worth stealing in here” backpack.

Finally, before a laptop leaves the house for the first time, make sure it has a good password and record the make, model and serial number. That information can be stored in the fire safe.

Renter’s insurance
Bottom line: Get renter’s insurance. Students have a lot of stuff, and it is far more expensive to replace than most people realize. Students should check with their auto insurance company. In most cases, purchasing renter’s insurance will lead to a discount on auto insurance. Sometimes, the discount actually pays for the premium. No, insurance won’t guarantee immediate availability of assets after a disaster, but it will get students back on their feet faster if the worst happens.

For more information on keeping personal information and documents safe, visit KU’s Be Secure Web site.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.