What Is the Vertical Oval Port on My Laptop?
The small oval port on the side of some laptops is the Kensington security slot. Also known as the K-slot, this may be positioned vertically on the case of some laptops but is horizontal on others. The K-slot allows you to secure the laptop with a Kensington lock, helping prevent theft.
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The K-Slot: History
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According to Stephen Hoare, Kensington Europe's product marketing manager for security, The K-slot was introduced in 1992. Laptops were becoming more widely available but there was little security for them. The Kensington lock was developed as a means of deterring laptop theft and protecting data. It has since been taken up by most major manufacturers and has become a ubiquitous feature, not just of laptops but of desktop computers and other valuable electronic items.
Recognizing the K-Slot
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The K-slot is generally in the casing on one side of your laptop near the hinge. It is a small metal-reinforced hole a little over a quarter of an inch in length and less than an eighth of an inch wide. On larger models it is often positioned vertically; on smaller laptops with thinner cases, it is often positioned horizontally.
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How the Kensington Lock Works
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Each Kensington lock has a t-bar that you insert into the K-slot. When you turn the lock, the t-bar rotates inside the slot, securing the lock firmly in place. The lock has a rubberized cable that can be secured around or through a more permanent object such as an item of furniture, preventing the laptop from being carried away.
Level of Security
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A Kensington lock could theoretically be torn out of the laptop's casing; however, this would cause significant damage, making it clear that the laptop had been stolen. The cable is made from tough materials that are hard to cut, although they could potentially be severed with the right tool, such as a set of bolt-cutters. The locks are designed to be difficult to pick, with key and combination options available. The Kensington lock doesn't prevent a computer from working; if the laptop is left unattended and applications are not password protected, data could be stolen even if the laptop is not removed.
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