Who hasn’t fallen for or heard about a joke where a colleague sends a fake email from someone else’s computer? The joke may seem harmless, but it shows up a real security risk: that of workstations left open and unattended. 
Therefore, locking your computer is essential. There are several reasons for this:  

• To protect your (personal) data: to prevent any malicious person from consulting or even stealing your company’s sensitive and confidential information, as well as having access to your personal information and passwords. 
• To prevent unauthorised use of your computer: a malicious person could use your online accounts if your passwords are saved, send emails in your name or modify or even delete certain files.
• To protect yourself against viruses and malware: a malicious person could install monitoring software or malware on your computer.

Our security tips

To avoid these risks, it is important to implement a few basic security rules:

• Use a strong, unique password for each account and never share it with anyone.
• Activate the automatic screen lock so that your computer locks automatically after a certain period of inactivity.
• Always lock your computer when you are away, even if it is only for a few minutes. 
• For shared workstations, it is important to always log out once you have completed your task.
• If a workstation is used for data processing tasks that require it to be left unattended for long periods of time, it should be placed in a secure room.