Physical access to an unlocked computer bypasses every password, firewall, and security tool you have. One keyboard shortcut fixes it.
What to do:
- Build the habit: lock your screen every time you step away, no matter how briefly.
- Set your computer to lock automatically after 5 minutes of inactivity as a backup. This is a setting your IT provider can push to all devices.
- Extend this to phones and tablets: require a PIN, face ID, or fingerprint to unlock.
Common mistake: People lock their screens when they’re leaving for lunch but not when they’re stepping away to grab a coffee, take a phone call, or walk to the printer.
It only takes a moment for someone – a visitor, a delivery person, another employee – to glance at, photograph, or interact with an open screen. In a client-facing environment like a credit union or a medical or legal office, an unlocked screen visible to the public is also a compliance risk.
The shortcut takes less than a second. The habit just needs to be built.
How to know it’s done:
- Every employee knows the keyboard shortcut to lock their screen and uses it consistently
- All company devices are configured to auto-lock after no more than five minutes of inactivity
