Know Your Neighbor

Protecting sensitive and confidential information at work is everyone's job. There are usually a vast amount of security protections in place, but there are additional safeguards we can all practice.


Something as simple as knowing who your neighbors are can go a long way towards providing these protections. If you know who should be in the neighboring office or looking at the computer on the next desk, you can help protect information by making sure that the person you observe has a right to be there. If you do not believe that the person has that right, asking the simple questions like, “Who are you?” and, “Why are you here?” can be a tremendous help.  Asking your supervisor if the person has a right to be there is another way to protect information. As supervisors and managers, you must respect and support your subordinates’ inquiries.


It is everyone’s responsibility to look out for and report any suspected Privacy or Security breach. You don’t have to be sure there is a breach, you just have to be observant. If something doesn’t look right, alert the people who have the job of being sure. This responsibility to be observant and report what doesn’t look right can protect more than just information. This is a good practice at any time.


The simple question you need to ask yourself is, “If it was my information being displayed, should this person be looking at it or taking it away? If you don’t like the answer, do the right thing and report the situation in a timely manner, before it can become a security incident. Notify your supervisor or your Help Desk if you think things are not right. It is all of our jobs!