Computer Security Day in the Workplace
Time to Review Company Policy about Cyber Security with Employees
Nov 13, 2009
Corporate information may be about customer buying patterns, changes in company focus, employee salaries, etc. Most of this information can be found inside company computers. Keeping this data secure should be a major priority of every employee.
The employer is responsible to see that staff is properly trained in computer security. While November 30 is designated Computer Security Day, employee training in this area should start on the first day of employment and continue throughout an employee’s life at the company.
Who Should Be Responsible?
In a word—everyone. Whether a company has three employees in a storefront office or thousands of workers spread around the world, responsibility for computer security belongs to all.
While responsibilities of the sales rep differ from those of the IT administrator, everyone needs to do his or her part to see that company computers and the data they contain remain secure. This article focuses on the non-IT professionals in the organization. If the job requires staff to use a computer, this article is for them.
In the Beginning
As stated earlier, computer security should begin on the first day of work. All new hires should be informed of the following.
- Policy concerning incoming email. Personal email should be discouraged if not totally prohibited. Never open an email attachment that is not expected or does not come from a trusted source (colleague, established customer, approved company supplier/vendor, etc.). It should be made clear what type of information can be sent via email.
- Policy concerning outgoing email. Can photos be sent of the physical facility, fellow employees, products, designs, spreadsheets, and reports? Employees should have a clear idea of exactly what is okay and what is forbidden.
- Policy concerning removable or portable devices from property. Can an employee copy a file to a USB to work on at home? What restrictions exist on print outs taken from work? Is there a policy concerning shredding of hard copy? Where is the shredder? Who’s responsible for shredding?
Depending upon the number of employees an employee might be responsible for her own computer security or there might be support staff and responsibilities to help. In a larger company there may be maintenance staff that collects all documents for shredding. A supervisor might be in charge of determining appropriate web sites to visit or use computer assisted software to review incoming and outgoing emails.
Traveling Computer Security
With the growth in laptop computers, USBs, and other portable devices, the need for security has increased accordingly. Because of their small size these can easily be taken and hidden or passed along to an accomplice before the victim knows it is gone.
- Laptop Scenario 1. Computer thieves work as a team at airport security checkpoints. One creates a distraction as a laptop is coming out and another accomplice takes the machine and quickly places it in their own carryon luggage or passes it to an accomplice outside the boarding area. Beware of distractions while in the security check point line.
- Laptop Scenario 2. More and more retail operations are discovering the benefits of providing Wi-Fi access for their patrons. They even have a nice, almost homelike, environment to use one’s laptop. Visit a fast food restaurant, coffee shop, or book store. There may be a sales rep or college student computing away with a latte close at hand. Then he leaves the laptop to go to the counter and get a snack or more coffee. When he comes back the laptop is gone. While these businesses try to provide comfortable surroundings for computing, they are seldom very secure.
- USB Theft. USBs are small and light weight. They can be stolen and easily hidden from a computer that is left unattended for the smallest amount of time. People that have a USB on a keychain and set the keys on a table while seated or working on something else can have data stolen and not even know it. The USB can be taken, copied, and returned in just minutes. When carrying corporate data on these devices extra caution must be taken.
With the continuing use and growth of computers in the workplace, everyone in the company must become security conscious. For a checklist of Computer Security Day activities readers can go to the Association of Computer Security Day and click on CSD Activities. An article titled Social Networking Safety Guidelines can also be accessed for additional safety and security tips.
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