Guide to Securing Your Spaces

Securing your physical spaces is incredibly important as it can be an easy to way for a bad actor to gain access to secure information. This guide provides tips and tricks to help prevent information from being harvested for a workspace.

While the protection of digital information is important, it’s easy to overlook securing your physical space. This guide has tips on securing your on-site information from those who should not have access. 

Securing your spaces:

1. Locks and Keys: Considered to be a routine security precaution, it’s always best to lock rooms, offices, cabinets, and other places where you store devices and information. Employees issued keys to offices and other locations, such as labs, should always safeguard them. If your keys go missing at any point, it should immediately be reported to your supervisor and University Police. Depending on the area, a lost key may trigger a request for an immediate lock change. Even the simple act of locking file cabinets in an office can deter bad actors from gaining access to information. 
2. Logged-in Devices: When walking away from your workspace or room, you should always ensure you lock your computer before leaving. If you forget to lock your computer, you leave your digital information vulnerable to unauthorized access by others. On Windows, locking the screen is simple and can be done by typing the “window” key + “L”.
3. Physical Devices: While locking a room may provide enough security to prevent someone from taking a device, there are other options available to deter this behavior:
   1. Cable Locks: If you leave your laptop, tablet, or other device unattended in a shared space where others may have access, such as a shared office or with roommates, consider purchasing a cable lock to secure the device to a desk or another fixed structure.
   2. Tracking Software: All university laptops and student purchased recommended laptops come with theft tracking software called Computrace. This software can be used to track a computer in the event that it is lost or stolen. If you own a personal device, you can purchase Computrace or a similar alternative to track your device in the event of theft.
4. Card Access Locations:  On campus, there are many locations that are accessible via card access. Some of these locations include major administrative offices, residence halls, and public locations, such as the weight room or game room. It's important to know where your employee/student ID is at all times, as this is your “key” to access these areas if authorized. 
   1. Tailgating: A common security breach tactic involves bad actors attempting to "tailgate" or sneak in behind someone who has already scanned their employee or student ID. This tactic plays on people’s desire to be polite, and it can often lead bad actors to access locations that they are not authorized to enter. It's appropriate to refrain from holding doors for others when entering a secure area. If someone requests you to do so, respond politely but firmly, informing them that they will need to scan their ID for entry, even if they are following you closely.
5. Storing information on desk: Many people leave papers and other sources of information openly on their desks or attached to boards/walls. While this may be convenient, it's an easy way for someone to gain unauthorized access to information they might not otherwise have access to. On a university campus, there are many individuals who have access to offices for a variety of legitimate reasons. Always make sure to lock up or properly discard (e.g. shredding) any documents with information that is not publicly available. It’s also important to not keep “secret” information written down in your workspace in “hidden” places, such as behind cabinet doors or under keyboards, as these tactics rarely fool people.