I take the opposite point of view. People are inherently trustworthy. The chance somebody will take this is very low.
However, I do make sure the device has full-disk-encryption with a strong passphrase and is powered off.
However, I do make sure the device has full-disk-encryption with a strong passphrase and is powered off.
Let's discuss risks of using a laptop in a coffee shop. You do have the risk that somebody will enter the shop, casually walk up to your table, grab your laptop as you are using it, and run out.
On the other hand, you can ask the person next to you to watch your laptop while you go to the bathroom. They won't steal your laptop, they just won't.
Evildoers are rare. In the first case, the evildoer has chosen you. In the second case, you've chosen a random person, who is unlikely to be an evildoer. The risk models are completely different.
At a security conference, I don't think there are evildoers who would steal a physical laptop. However, there might be evildoers who want to steal information, like intelligence agents. Thus, I use full disk encryption, but I don't worry about losing the physical device.
I use a macBook Air which costs about as much as my iPhone X. I probably spent more on the hotel and airplane fair than the laptop I bring with me. So I don't fret about losing it.
