Awareness

6 Desk Security Mistakes Employees Make Every Day

From passwords on sticky notes to sensitive contracts left in a pile by the printer, many office workers make the same basic security errors. Even our CSO staff is not immune to these common no-nos - but they are easy to fix (includes video)

By Joan Goodchild, Senior Editor

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Leaving a calendar or day planner out on a desk
One day planner we found contained private sales-related information. But a calendar might also contain the agenda or travel itinerary of a member of the staff. Depending on the company, that staff member (an executive, for instance) might be a potential target. All calendars and day planners should be locked up or taken out of the office at the end of the day.

Leaving an access card out
We found one desk with an access card hidden under a keyboard. That's not much better than leaving it in plain sight - it's like putting your house key under the welcome mat, the first place a thief will look. Access cards are used to protect staff from an unwanted intrusion. If an access card gets into the wrong hands, it can allow unauthorized people to roam around freely. Staffers should keep possession of their cards at all times.

Forgetting the printer
The printer in our office had several vendor contracts discarded in a pile of papers. After staff finish with printing jobs, they need to be mindful of any documents that were printed, even the ones that aren't needed, and dispose of them appropriately.