notepads to track concerns, reducing this risk but possibly being less impactful.
Any physical notes taken on physical security should be destroyed. Digital notes
should be kept in line with overall SAFETAG standards.
The location of certain high-value assets is highly sensitive, and may be
controlled/secret information. Handle with care when discussing with the
organization, and if conducting this remotely/in advance, ensure the point of contact
can handle and destroy the data responsibly.
It should be noted that SAFETAG is focused only on the digital impacts of physical
security. This guide does not provide a full physical security assessment.
Walkthrough
The auditor should first meet with the facilitator (possibly over secure videochat) to brief
them on the activity and map out potential challenges (particularly around trust,
organizational hierarchies, and any potential repercussions).
The auditor then prepares a checklist of physical vulnerabilities with the facilitator, based
on the current understanding of the organization's assets and the context they are
operating within. The auditor, facilitator, and organization point of contact should decide
if any areas are "off limits." Note that this is only a list of a suggestions. As with the "Risk
Hunting" exercise in SaferJourno, and it should be modified to fit the requirements,
assets, and threats the organization faces:
Open windows.
Door with key hanging from the lock and/or unlocked doors to secure areas
Unlocked access to networking equipment - routers, wifi, modem / cablemodem /
servers
Unsecured Laptop(s) (e.g. no locked cabinet for overnight storage, no cable lock)
Computer left unattended with active Outlook, Gmail, Skype or other
communication application open and visible.
Wires or cables for devices that have been strewn on the floor where someone
would need to step over them.
Portable backup drives, USBs, and/or other external hard drives on desktops or
plugged in to computers
Passwords written on a “sticky note” or other paper taped to a monitor or onto the
surface of a desk.
Smartphones, cameras or other valuable devices left unattended
At the organization, the facilitator explains the activity to the organization members. To
balance the need for consent with the benefits of identifying actual daily practices which
may need improvement, the staff should already be aware that examining physical
devices is part of the audit scope, but not the specific activity. Staff will be able to first
identify and address their personal concerns before others.
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