Clean Desk and Clear Screen Policy

We have already spoken at length about varying ways in which electronic data can be leaked, yet we have spoken little of printed data, documents which contain crucial and usually confidential or sensitive information. These documents could be contracts, price lists, client lists or even notes on our screens and keyboards with passwords on them and can be found around our office or workplace.

In case of data leakage, either printed or electronic, threat levels remain the same.

Help to protect your company, your customers and your reputation.

Everyone in the office must protect their documents and data from unauthorised access, either internal or external parties. The implementation of a Clean Desk and Clear Screen Policy reduces the threat of data leaks.

Clean Desk

Documents containing sensitive or confidential information and are not in direct use must be safely stored in safe spaces such as drawers or cupboards. Depending on the documents’ level of sensitivity or confidentiality safe spaces must be locked.

• Sticky Notes containing any sensitive or confidential information whether they be sentences or passwords must be given special attention.
• When visitors or third parties enter our office or workplace, printed documents must be placed face-down.
• Any document printed must not be left on the printing machine.
• Detachable electronic devices such as USB memory sticks, external hard drives, bank tokens et.c must be stored in safe spaces.
• Any printed material that is no longer of use must be destroyed. Do not throw it in the bin, such documents must be disposed of using a shredding machine.

Clear Screen

When visitors or third parties enter our office or workplace, any active tabs on our screen must be minimized leaving only our desktop viewable.

• Screensaver mode must be activated on all computers in less than 20 minutes after the user’s last action.
• Deactivation of Screensaver mode must require the use of the user’s password.
• When leaving our officer or workplace for a 15-minute period or longer our computer must be locked.

Note: Clean Desk and Clear Screen Policy can be effective only when it is implemented in the entirety of our officer or workplace.

Vasilis Leontiou

Managing Director

 V.L Toolbox Express Computer Solutions Ltd