USA: the high cost of the 12,000 laptop computers lost in airports each week

[Ponemon] What we learned in our Anatomy of a Lost Laptop Survey is that laptop loss or theft is considered a pervasive problem for organizations. According to survey respondents, organizations lack basic controls necessary controls to prevent or curtail the loss of portable devices containing sensitive information. Our sample of 691 IT security practitioners is a highly experienced group with, on average, more than nine years of experience in the information security field. More than half (55%) are at or above the supervisor level.

Only one third of the lost machines were reclaimed.

Anatomy of a Lost Laptop Survey, January 2008