A Kensington lock only secures the laptop in it's physical position since it's a physical lock that you put onto your laptop to stop people from taking your laptop.

Don't go overboard on security if this is just for home and not work. Windows defender will be just fine.

For work, your company should supply the AV if it's a work laptop. I've had no issues with [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Why would you want to install a RAT for yourself?

I need more information on what you're planning to do with this laptop. It just seems like you've read the blurb of a school book and based your knowledge on that.

Adam wrote A Kensington lock only secures the laptop in it's physical position since it's a physical lock that you put onto your laptop to stop people from taking your laptop.

Don't go overboard on security if this is just for home and not work. Windows defender will be just fine.

For work, your company should supply the AV if it's a work laptop. I've had no issues with [ Register or Signin to view external links. ]

Why would you want to install a RAT for yourself?

I need more information on what you're planning to do with this laptop. It just seems like you've read the blurb of a school book and based your knowledge on that.

Lol

I know what a Kensington lock is and what is is used for. Are you saying that physical security is not important? If that is what you think, then that is a bad way of thinking. Physical security is just as important as virtual security. I see no negatives to using a Kensington lock.

I do not think that what I have posted above would be considered overboard security. In fact, I consider doing what I have stated above as being the least amount of security that anyone should have. And just because your laptop is in your house, does not mean that it is safe.

The laptop is personal laptop, its not work/school issued but it is going to be more for school use than home use. And I did not mention it in the original post, but I already have an AV.

I want to install a RAT so that if the laptop does get stolen and somehow connects to the internet, then I should be able to get an IP, a screenshot, and a few other things that I could then report to the authorities. After that, I could then delete sensitive data. It would be used just like Apple's "Find My Iphone".

And as a side note, I do not ever remember asking for your opinion about my security decisions. I should not need to explain why I am going to do what I stated and it should not matter. Please just answer my question and go on with your life. This post was more about protecting my data if someone stole my laptop. It should not matter what I plan to do with the laptop. I just want general tips on what I should do.

I mean, good for you for being security contentious.

This is where more information is better. I or anyone else can't give you help if we don't know what we're working with. How was I supposed to know that you need to be so uptight about security?

I mean, I have nothing more to suggest since you clearly know way more about what you're going to do with this laptop than any of us do.

Adam wrote I mean, good for you for being security contentious.

This is where more information is better. I or anyone else can't give you help if we don't know what we're working with. How was I supposed to know that you need to be so uptight about security?

I mean, I have nothing more to suggest since you clearly know way more about what you're going to do with this laptop than any of us do.

Sorry if my response came off as rude.

I do not need to be "uptight about security." It is just something that everyone should take very seriously. I will have some personal information on this laptop, and I do not want anyone else to have it (login information, pictures, class work, etc).

The laptop will be used for most things your average college student would use it for. Class work, social media, etc. Aside from class work that is specific to my degree, there is nothing special that I will be doing. What I have listed on the original post are just the first things that came to my mind. To me they are basic security things that everyone should do.

I just want to know if there is anything more that I could do.

Instead of trying to secure the laptop down, why not secure your work? Using the cloud as your storage media and using 2FA on logging into your cloud, in my opinion, this would be much easier and quicker to implement rather than going all around the houses trying to secure the laptop itself. Something like Onedrive would be fine since you can even just edit your work without downloading the content. Not to mention, if your laptop did get stolen, then your work will still be secure in the cloud.

I think that'll be your best route in my opinion. You can spend a lot of money and time trying to secure a laptop that in itself, doesn't really need to be that secure since your data is what you want to keep secure.