Chapter 5 — Devices and data in the office
Lesson map
Lesson 05 published. Map, example, EX021.
flowchart TD
N0["Learning outcomes"]
N1["5.1 Laptop baseline"]
N2["5.2 The old file server"]
N3["5.3 Paper and media"]
N4["5.4 Checking progress"]
N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4
N4 --> EX["Worked example"]
EX --> Q["Exercise EX021"]
Logical drawing
flowchart LR
N0["Learning outcomes"]
N1["5.1 Laptop baseline"]
N2["5.2 The old file server"]
N3["5.3 Paper and media"]
N4["5.4 Checking progress"]
N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> Q["EX021"]
[Learning outcomes]
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v
[5.1 Laptop baseline]
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v
[5.2 The old file server]
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v
[5.3 Paper and media]
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v
[5.4 Checking progress]
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v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX021]
Learning outcomes
You will (1) set a baseline for laptops; (2) handle the old file server; (3) reduce paper and removable media risks.
5.1 Laptop baseline
The support company manages Corbridge's laptops, but nobody has written down what a properly set up laptop looks like. Daniel drafts a short baseline with them: disk encryption on, automatic updates on, screen lock after five minutes, staff use standard accounts, and the device can be wiped remotely if lost. He asks for a monthly report showing how many laptops meet each item. Ms. Ashby explains that a written baseline turns vague trust in a supplier into something that can be checked, and that the monthly report gives Daniel evidence for leadership.
5.2 The old file server
The office file server holds client files more than ten years old. Daniel learns that the firm's retention rules say most client records need keeping for a set number of years, after which they should be destroyed. He asks a partner to review a sample and finds many files well past that period. Keeping them adds risk without benefit. With Mrs. Pike's approval he plans a supervised clean-up, starting with a list of folders by age, and asks the support company to confirm that backups of deleted files also expire on schedule.
5.3 Paper and media
Corbridge still receives paper documents from some older clients. Daniel finds a tray of scanned originals waiting to be returned, kept on an open shelf near reception. He moves them to a locked cabinet and sets a rule that originals are returned or securely shredded within two weeks of scanning. He also finds two unencrypted memory sticks used to carry files between offices. He replaces them with the cloud folders already available, and asks the support company to block unencrypted removable storage on laptops, with exceptions only by request.
5.4 Checking progress
After a month, the support company's report shows 55 of 60 laptops meeting the full baseline. The five exceptions include two laptops that missed updates while staff were on leave and three where encryption was never switched on. Daniel follows each up and records the fix. The file server clean-up removes a large share of out-of-date folders, after partner sign-off on each batch. He records what was deleted and why, so the firm can answer questions later. Ms. Ashby praises the record-keeping as much as the clean-up itself.
Worked example
Daniel writes a five-item laptop baseline, finds 55 of 60 laptops compliant after a month, cleans up out-of-date server files with partner sign-off, and locks away paper originals.
Synthetic case. Device counts and findings are synthetic.
Errors and limits
Deleting old records without sign-off and a log can breach retention duties or leave the firm unable to explain what happened.
Exercises
- EX021 — Baseline items. Name three items in the laptop baseline. Rubric: 3 = encryption, updates, screen lock, standard accounts, remote wipe;; 2 = three;; 1 = two;; 0 = none.
- EX022 — Compliance. How many laptops met the baseline after a month? Rubric: 3 = 55 of 60;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = wrong;; 0 = none.
- EX023 — Old files. Why remove out-of-date server files? Rubric: 3 = risk without benefit;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX024 — Paper rule. What rule did Daniel set for paper originals? Rubric: 3 = returned or shredded within two weeks;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX025 — Memory sticks. What replaced the memory sticks? Rubric: 3 = the existing cloud folders;; 2 = partly correct;; 1 = other;; 0 = none.
Continue studying — lesson 05 (chapter 05 of 12)
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