Hardware Theft and Vandalism
Hardware theft and vandalism are other types of computer security risks.
Hardware theft is the act of stealing computer equipment.
Hardware vandalism is the act of defacing or destroying computer equipment. Hardware vandalism takes many forms, from someone cutting a computer cable to individuals breaking into a business or school computer lab and aimlessly smashing computers. Hardware theft and vandalism do not really pose a threat to the home desktop computer user. Companies, schools, and other organizations that house many computers, however, are at risk of hardware theft and vandalism, especially those that have smaller system units that easily can fit in a backpack or briefcase. Mobile users also are susceptible to hardware theft. It is estimated that more than 600,000 notebook computers are stolen each year. The size and weight of these computers, especially netbooks, make them easy to steal. Thieves often target notebook computers of company executives, so that they can use the stolen computer to access confidential company information illegally. In this case, hardware theft is
combined with software and information theft.