Report a Crime
Search

Search PSNI website

  • Home
  • COVID19
  • Youth Section
  • Contact Us
  • Inside PSNI

    Browse Inside PSNI

    • Careers in the PSNI
    • Our Departments
    • Our History
    • Our Leadership
    • Our Policies and Procedures
    • Our Reports & Statements
    • Statistics
    • Our Strategy and Vision
    • Working with our Young People
    • Pension Information

    BurglarDontBother Find Out More

  • My Area

    Browse My Area

    • All Districts
    • I Don't Know My Policing Area
    • Neighbourhood Watch
    • Station Enquiry Office Provision
    • Local Policing Review 2018/19
    • Policing Plan 2020-25 consultation

    BurglarDontBother Find Out More

  • News & Appeals

    Browse News & Appeals

    • Crime NI
    • Chief Constable's blog
    • Campaigns
    • Missing Persons
    • Latest News
    • Investigation into Mother and Baby Institutions, Work Houses and Magdalene Laundries

    BurglarDontBother Find Out More

  • Advice and Information

    Browse Advice and Information

    • Action Counters Terrorism
    • Advice for Landlords
    • Advice on Protests
    • Advice for Students
    • Air and Sea Ports
    • Animal Welfare and Wildlife
    • Body Worn Video
    • Business Crime
    • Child Protection
    • Child Sexual Exploitation
    • Christmas Safety Advice
    • Community Resolution
    • Complaints against the PSNI
    • Domestic Abuse
    • Chief Officers' Expenses
    • Drones - Unmanned Aircraft Systems
    • EU funded research projects
    • Freedom of Information
    • Firearms
    • Information About Yourself
    • Internet Safety
    • Mobile Phone Extraction (MPE)
    • Our Publications
    • Parades and Public Processions
    • Penalty Notices for Disorder
    • Policing and mental health
    • Project Servator
    • Protecting Your Home
    • Protecting Yourself
    • Roads and Driving
    • Rural Security
    • Safe Summer
    • Security Systems
    • Self Help Guides
    • Sexting
    • Sextortion
    • Sexual Consent
    • Stop and Search
    • The Law on Sex in Northern Ireland
    • Vehicle Purchase and Protection
    • Victim Satisfaction Survey
    • Victim Support
    • Winter Safety

    BurglarDontBother Find Out More

  • Crime

    Browse Crime

    • Anti Social Behaviour
    • Burglary
    • Business Crime
    • Child Protection
    • Crime Recording Statement
    • Criminal Damage
    • Cyber Crime
    • Domestic Abuse
    • Drugs
    • Fraud
    • Hate Crime
    • Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit
    • Organised Crime
    • Sexual Violence and Abuse
    • Sextortion
    • Theft
    • Rural Crime

    BurglarDontBother Find Out More

  • Report
  • Search
  • Browse Protect Your Premises
  • Computers
  • Use Suitable Lighting
  • CCTV
  • Prevent Attack
  • Plant Thefts
  • Securing Your Premises
  1. Home
  2. Advice and Information
  3. Business Crime
  4. Protect Your Premises
  5. Computers

Computers

  • Computers
  • Use Suitable Lighting
  • CCTV
  • Prevent Attack
  • Plant Thefts
  • Securing Your Premises

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.

Who can help me?

Police

If you need to report the theft of these items contact police on 101

You can contact your local Crime Prevention Officer for further advice. CPOs can provide advice to individuals and can also address larger audiences, if necessary.

computer lock.jpg

Remember

It is vital you protect your computer from viruses, malware (malicious software) and other data theft tools. Data stolen from your computer is as valuable, if not more valuable, as the physical items in your home or business. Theft of personal or customer data can be very damaging. Make sure you don’t leave your digital door unlocked. 

All Advice and Information

Back to top

PSNI logo

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Home

  • Home
  • COVID19
  • Youth Section
  • Contact Us
  • Inside PSNI
  • My Area
  • News & Appeals
  • Advice and Information
  • Crime

My Area

  • My Area
  • All Districts
  • I Don't Know My Policing Area
  • Neighbourhood Watch
  • Station Enquiry Office Provision
  • Local Policing Review 2018/19
  • Policing Plan 2020-25 consultation

Crime

  • Crime
  • Anti Social Behaviour
  • Burglary
  • Business Crime
  • Child Protection
  • Crime Recording Statement
  • Criminal Damage
  • Cyber Crime
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Drugs
  • Fraud
  • Hate Crime
  • Modern Slavery Human Trafficking Unit
  • Organised Crime
  • Sexual Violence and Abuse
  • Sextortion
  • Theft
  • Rural Crime

Strategic Communications and Engagement

  • Strategic Communications and Engagement

Advice and Information

  • Advice and Information
  • Action Counters Terrorism
  • Advice for Landlords
  • Advice on Protests
  • Advice for Students
  • Air and Sea Ports
  • Animal Welfare and Wildlife
  • Body Worn Video
  • Business Crime
  • Child Protection
  • Child Sexual Exploitation
  • Christmas Safety Advice
  • Community Resolution
  • Complaints against the PSNI
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Chief Officers' Expenses
  • Drones - Unmanned Aircraft Systems
  • EU funded research projects
  • Freedom of Information
  • Firearms
  • Information About Yourself
  • Internet Safety
  • Mobile Phone Extraction (MPE)
  • Our Publications
  • Parades and Public Processions
  • Penalty Notices for Disorder
  • Policing and mental health
  • Project Servator
  • Protecting Your Home
  • Protecting Yourself
  • Roads and Driving
  • Rural Security
  • Safe Summer
  • Security Systems
  • Self Help Guides
  • Sexting
  • Sextortion
  • Sexual Consent
  • Stop and Search
  • The Law on Sex in Northern Ireland
  • Vehicle Purchase and Protection
  • Victim Satisfaction Survey
  • Victim Support
  • Winter Safety

Accessibility statement

  • Accessibility statement

News & Appeals

  • News & Appeals
  • Crime NI
  • Chief Constable's blog
  • Campaigns
  • Missing Persons
  • Latest News
  • Investigation into Mother and Baby Institutions, Work Houses and Magdalene Laundries

Inside PSNI

  • Inside PSNI
  • Careers in the PSNI
  • Our Departments
  • Our History
  • Our Leadership
  • Our Policies and Procedures
  • Our Reports & Statements
  • Statistics
  • Our Strategy and Vision
  • Working with our Young People
  • Pension Information

Contact Us

  • Contact Us

Site Essentials

  • Accessibility statement
  • Copyright
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Cookies & Policy
PSNI logo

Police Service of Northern Ireland