General cyber security
Good security is built into daily habits. These best practices for computer use make you and your organisation noticeably safer — without taking any real effort.
Picture your office in your mind: how many unlocked screens, loose documents and post-its with passwords could a visitor see right now?
The basics: six habits
1. Lock your screen — always
Stepping away from your desk, even for just a minute? Lock your screen with Windows key + L (Windows) or Ctrl + Cmd + Q (Mac). An unlocked screen gives anyone walking by access to your email, files and systems. Also set automatic locking after a maximum of 5 minutes of inactivity.
2. Clear desk & clear screen
- Don't leave documents with sensitive information on your desk; store them away or shred them.
- No passwords on post-its — use a password manager.
- Make a clear desk your starting point at the end of the day.
- Watch out for people looking over your shoulder on the train or at the office; consider a privacy screen on your laptop.
3. Install updates right away
The vast majority of successful attacks exploit vulnerabilities for which an update already existed. Set Windows/macOS, your browser and your apps to update automatically, and restart your computer whenever asked. Putting off that quarter-hour "restart later" is exactly the gap attackers crawl through. Also check out the video above.
4. Make sure you have backups
Ransomware or a stolen laptop is annoying; losing your data is a disaster. Make sure company data is kept in the agreed location (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or the NAS) so it's backed up automatically — not just stored locally on your desktop. Periodically test that a file can actually be restored.
5. Handle company information consciously
- Share files through the official company environment, not via personal email, WeTransfer or USB sticks.
- Be cautious with company information in public AI tools; see our working better with AI training.
- Don't use USB sticks you found or were given — hand them in to IT.
- Working from home or on the go? Don't use public wifi without a VPN, or use your phone's hotspot instead.
6. Secure your devices
- Secure your phone and laptop with a PIN/biometrics and encryption (BitLocker/FileVault — often already arranged by your administrator).
- Only install software you actually need, from official sources.
- Don't use your work account for personal matters, or vice versa.
- Report a lost or stolen device to your IT administrator right away.
✔ Do
- Windows + L every time you walk away
- Install updates and restart right away
- Save files in the agreed company location
- Report incidents immediately — however small
✘ Don't
- Passwords on post-its
- Connecting USB sticks you found
- Public wifi without a VPN for work
- Keeping an incident quiet out of embarrassment
Report incidents right away
Seen something odd? A suspicious email, a pop-up, a lost device, an accidental click on a link? Report it to your IT administrator or Tip ICT right away. Speed limits the damage, and reporting is never "silly" — staying quiet is.
Test yourself
Further reading
- Veiliginternetten.nl — practical basic tips for safe digital working (Dutch)
- Nationaal Cyber Security Centrum — the Dutch National Cyber Security Centre: current threats and advice (Dutch)
- Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens — the Dutch data protection authority: what to do in case of a data breach (Dutch)