Computers are a valuable asset to your business and worth protecting properly. You also have a duty to ensure that any sensitive information, stored on your computer system, does not fall into the wrong hands.
In order to safeguard your computer system against theft, please see the following advice.
What can you do?
- Mark your equipment with your post code.
- Consider the use of hidden electronic marking devices.
- Conduct regular property and equipment audits – record missing items.
- Allocate responsibility for equipment to individuals.
- Establish measures to control the use and movement of equipment.
- Record details of equipment serial numbers or identification marks and keep them readily available in the event of theft.
- Anchor equipment to solid furniture, floors or nearby walls using appropriate means.
- Use intruder alarm equipment to monitor building or room entry.
- Use product alarms to monitor movement of individual computer equipment.
- Consider tagging equipment using electrical article surveillance methods.
- Store computer equipment within secure rooms or cabinets when these rooms are unoccupied.
- Use CCTV and audio recording equipment to monitor buildings and areas where computers are in use.
- Ensure mobile and laptop computers are properly secured when used away from the office.
- Review existing security precautions regularly.
- Install anti-virus programmes and keep them updated
- Ensure that computers and all other electronic devices are included on your insurance policy
- Do not open or respond to an email from an unrecognised source or download attachments and/or files without knowing what they are and where they are from – this is the most common way that computers pick up a virus. Equally, take care when attempting to download content directly from an unknown internet site.
- Always lock the screen (Ctrl + Alt + Del) when leaving a computer terminal unattended and log-off completely when leaving for the day.
- Never insert a disk, USB or other portable device into the computer unless sure of its origin. When deciding a password always use ‘strong’ passwords that contain a mix of letters, symbols and characters and choose a different password for each system. Never reveal the password to others, even to close colleagues or managers.
