Clear Desk and Clear Screen Policy - GP 469

20.1 Purpose:
20.1.1 The purpose for this policy is to establish a culture of security and trust for all
employees at HCT. An effective clean desk effort involving the participation and support
of all HCT employees can greatly protect paper documents that contain sensitive
information about our students, clients, customers and vendors. All employees should
familiarize themselves with the guidelines of this policy.
20.1.2 The main reasons for a clean desk policy are:
a) A clean desk can produce a positive image when our customers or third party
vendors visit HCT.
b) It reduces the threat of a security incident from confidential information being
leaked away when left unattended.
c) Sensitive documents left in the open can be stolen by a malicious entity.

20.2 Scope:
During known extended periods away from your desk, such as a lunch break, sensitive
working papers are expected to be placed in locked drawers.

At the end of the working day the employee is expected to tidy their desk and to put
away all office papers. HCT shall provide lockable desks and filing cabinets for this
purpose.

20.3 Policy:
20.3.1 Always clear your workspace before leaving for long periods of time.
20.3.2 Consider scanning paper items and filing them electronically in your workstation.
20.3.3 Use the shredder for documents when they are no longer needed.
20.3.4 Lock your desk and filing cabinets at the end of the day.
20.3.5 Lock away portable computing devices such as laptops or Mobile phones.
20.3.6 Treat mass storage devices such as CDROM, DVD or USB drives as sensitive and
secure them in a locked drawer.