Locking your devices when not in use

It is good practice to lock your doors and windows when you leave a place unattended to prevent intruders who could steal and/or damage your property. Your electronic devices are no different except that your “property” consists of an intangible asset: your personal data and access to online services, including banking and shopping.

 

Why is this an issue?

An unlocked electronic device (computer, tablet, smartphone) gives someone who has access to it, with or without your permission, an opportunity to become “you” and do things you would not wish to happen such as for example: install software on your device (perhaps a game?), download inappropriate material, change the configuration of your device (as a “joke”) or purchase items on your behalf at your expense.

 

An additional domestic risk is that of children using the device in the absence of parental controls to purchase games or, worse, come across an inappropriate website, of which there are many. Would you really want to explain to a four year old what those people without clothes are doing on the screen?

 

What you should do about it

Locking your devices has several dimensions from the simple use of a password-protected screen saver that is activated when the device has not been in use for a given time (that you specify). If the device will not be used for some time it may be best to use features such as “Lock Workstation” (Windows) or Log Out (Apple) and their equivalents for other operating systems.

 

When using your devices in a public place you should turn of features such as WiFi, Bluethooth, GPS and other such features as these allow others to capture information from your device.

 

A search engine can provide details of how to use the various locking options and parental controls of your specific devices.