I have a daughter leaving for college in a few weeks. When she goes, she’ll be taking our love and best wishes with her, along with a primary school tool: a laptop.

In a college environment, security is critically important; in many jobs, it’s just as — or more — important. Consider the cost of a stolen laptop: not just the computer itself, but the data on it, which could be vital, and worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

To that end, it’s worth your while to strongly consider a laptop lock, like this Targus DEFCON 1 Retractable Cable Lock. One of the highlights of this lock is that the cable retracts into the unit itself, making it ultra-portable. It’s also a combination lock, adding another layer of security.

Another advantage of the Targus is that it can lock up more than your laptop. In a pinch, it could lock up pretty much anything the four-foot cord can wrap around.

If you travel a lot or carry around your laptop often, strongly consider the Targus or another lock. While it won’t stop a determined criminal, it will definitely scare off most everyone else that’s looking to score a free laptop.