In practice people don't bother to take precautions to protect sensitive data, that doesn't mean its not a good idea or possible, also there is an implicit assumption of risk that is being taken when executives run around with sensitive data on their laptops that they then lose. I suppose it depends on their assumption of risk and how radioactive/poisonous the data they handle is, between some stock speculator getting an earnings report a day early or a HIPPA violation and public disclosure.