Physical security
Digital defences do not help if someone can walk up to a device or a document. Physical security is the quiet half of keeping information safe.
Control who gets in
- Badge in yourself; do not hold the door for strangers. Letting someone follow you through a secure door, called tailgating, is a common way intruders get in. It feels polite, but directing them to reception is safer and kinder to everyone.
- Challenge gently. If you see someone unfamiliar without a visible badge, it is fine to ask "Can I help you find someone?"
- Visitors are escorted and signed in, not left to wander.
Protect devices and paper
- Lock your laptop to your desk if it stays, or take it with you. Never leave a device visible in a car.
- Clear your desk of sensitive papers when you leave, and lock them away overnight.
- Use secure shredding for documents with sensitive information rather than the recycling bin.
Watch the small exposures
- Whiteboards and sticky notes can reveal passwords and plans to anyone passing by or on a video call.
- Printed documents left at a shared printer are there for the next person to read. Collect them promptly.
Quick rules
- One person, one badge; escort visitors.
- Clear desk, locked screen, devices never left unattended.
- Shred sensitive paper; collect prints right away.