The security of computer systems and the data stored within is paramount in the minds of many business owners.

There are some who go out of their way to ensure their systems are secure from outside hackers and network intrusions only to leave their physical systems wide open. It would be a good idea to ensure that you set up some password protection for your computer.

Here are three ways you can make it harder for people to physically access your Mac.

1. Set a password to log in If you have more than one user on your Mac, or would like a bit of added security, it would be a good idea to establish that a password is needed to log in to different user accounts. You can set this up by:

1. Clicking on the Apple icon at the top-left of your screen.
2. Selecting System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
3. Clicking on Security followed by General in the window that opens.
4. Ticking the box that says Disable automatic login.
5. Setting the time period from the drop-down box.

You will now need to go back to the System Preferences main screen (press the black back arrow below the red button at the top of the window) and click on Accounts. Look for the account you log in with, click on it and press Change Password…

You may not be able to make changes to both of these windows because they are locked. If this is the case, look for the lock icon in the bottom-left of the window, and press it if it is locked. You should then be able to make changes. When you’re done with the changes, it would be a good idea to click on this lock again to ensure no more changes can be made without entering your password.

2. Set up the need for a password to turn off the screen saver or wake the computer up You can also set up your Mac so that you need to enter your user password to be able to stop the screen saver or wake the computer up. You can do this by:

1. Clicking on the Apple icon at the top-left of your screen.
2. Selecting System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
3. Clicking on Security followed by General in the window that opens.
4. Ticking the box that says Require password after sleep or screen saver begins.
5. Setting the time period from the drop-down box.

You can also tick the box that says Log out after XX minutes of inactivity. Set the number, and after that time the computer will log you out. When you next try to access it, you will be taken to the main login screen.

3. Turn off your computer at the end of the day This may sound a little silly, but it is always a good idea to turn your computer off when you go home. This will often deter most criminals, especially if you have an older Mac that takes a while to boot up. If your company works with an IT partner who looks after updates and virus scans, it would be a good idea to talk to them about whether you should turn your computer off or leave it on when you leave the office.

By simply having a password protected system, you can significantly minimize the chance of stolen data, or at least reduce the possibility of prying eyes seeing important files. If you are looking for more ways to ensure the security of your systems, please contact us today to see how we can help.