Some people think that if they can't "login" they can't get to any of the info on the hard-drive.
Unless the laptop drive was also totally encrypted, using something like SafeBoot...or that Bitlocker drive encryption that comes with Vista, you could theoretically mount the drive on another computer and read away...
Originally Posted by
Spiff
Some of the comments only serve to show how ignorant and hoodwinked much of the traveling public is. (or just the public)
If I have the laptop, a password or fingerprint reader isn't going to keep me out of the hard drive. One of the first things I'm going to do is remove the hard drive, make an image of it, and then almost certainly break whatever sub-standard protection is on the hard drive, if there's any at all at that level. And the notion of yet another spooky "plot" shows that there is at least one pea-brained coward who should spend his time hiding under the bed instead of dreaming up "plots" every time someone mentions "airport" or "airplane".
Is there something in the water/kool-aid that alters cognitive thinking?