October 15, 2018
It is 3 p.m. You are staring at your monitor, eyes glazed over, because if you have to look at this spreadsheet one more time, so help me—
Okay, clearly, it’s time for a break. You leave your desk and head to the pantry for some coffee.
When you come back, this happens:
Locking your computer (or mobile device) is important for reasons other than avoiding a harmless office prank:
- You are essentially surrendering access to your files. While you may only be leaving your device for a minute or two, it’s all the time someone needs to access your information. Files can be viewed, modified, deleted, or even copied to an unauthorized user’s device. Even a well-meaning colleague who’s just looking for a shared file may close out a program without saving your work. Most importantly, many WCM users work with confidential data, so leaving your device unlocked puts that information at risk.
- “What did I just do?!” Many computer screens turn off when you leave them idle, and most people “wake up” their monitors by doing the same thing – pounding on the space bar until they can see their work again. However, doing this can actually trigger some unwanted commands, like changing interface settings, submitting a form, or filing that document who-knows-where. Simply unlocking your computer avoids this.
- Beware of keyloggers. A keylogger is a computer program that records every keystroke made by a computer user. By stepping away from your unlocked device, you are providing hackers a window of opportunity to install a keylogger onto your computer in order to gain fraudulent access to passwords and other confidential information.
How to lock your device
- Windows desktop or laptop: Windows Key + L
- MacOS desktop or laptop: Control + Shift + Power Button (Note you will first need to set up a password to lock the screen)
- Android devices: Set up a screen lock first, then hit the power button on your device to lock it thereafter
- iOS devices: Set up a passcode first, then hit the power button on the right-hand side of your device to lock it thereafter
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, an annual collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure we have the resources you need to maintain your security online. Throughout October, we’ll be sending you tips on protecting your information and avoiding malicious attempts to extract your personal data. See our past tips here.