FREE Printout: IT Security End-User Checklist

This guide was created so that business owners, office managers, and IT departments can provide it as an educational resource to showcase some of the most basic IT security practices that can be implemented in your workplace. We recommend printing this out and handing it out to your staff for maximum results.

Your work is important, but so is staying safe and sound. By working together, we can protect this business.

Avoid Sharing Confidential Information

• Don’t give out company or customer information to unsolicited emails or phone calls.
• Hackers can be very convincing and have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. Always be wary of suspicious activity, especially in regard to confidential or sensitive information.
• Never email usernames and passwords to anyone--not even yourself.
• Be cautious of suspicious messages that come from sources like PayPal, Amazon, or a bank.

Use Strong Passwords

• Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts.
• Use complex passwords that contain both upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Don’t include personally identifiable information in your passwords.

Don’t Access Sensitive Information on Unprotected Devices

• You shouldn’t expect hotels and cafes to have secure wireless connections. Never access sensitive information from public computers or devices, as others could also access it.
• Malware could potentially allow onlookers to steal information like usernames, passwords, and credit card information from your unsecured devices.
• Ask your IT department about installing a VPN on your device for maximum security.

Don’t Leave Sensitive Information Lying Around

• Avoid recording passwords on sticky notes.
• Shred or destroy documents that contain sensitive information.
• Always lock your devices before moving away from them.
• On a Windows device, use the Windows key + L to quickly lock your computer.
• Keep small devices like phones, hard drives, and flash drives close at hand, especially while traveling.

Report Suspicious Activity to IT

• We can fix things quickly if we know about them. This keeps the issue from becoming a bigger problem.
• If you lose a device, like a smartphone or laptop, report it to us immediately.

Note: If you have a service agreement with Preferred that includes end-user support, please reach out to us at the provided phone number and email address to put in support tickets:

Phone: 708-781-7110
Email: