Remote Work, Collaboration and Physical SecurityUpdated: 2026
Secure your work environment wherever you are — home, on the road, or a shared office.
By the end of this module, you'll be able to…
- Identify security risks specific to remote work
- Secure your home workspace
- Adopt best practices for video calls and file sharing
- Prevent shoulder surfing and protect visible information
- Apply the clean desk principle
Risks specific to remote work
Marc is working from a cafe. His screen is visible from several tables. During a call with a client, he discusses ongoing contracts. The person at the next table works for a competitor. Within 30 minutes, Marc has unintentionally revealed strategic information.
Remote work creates risks that traditional offices handle automatically: controlled physical access, secured networks, separated spaces. At home or in public spaces, you have to manage these yourself.
✗ Common remote work risks
- Poorly secured home Wi-Fi, or shared with unsecured IoT devices
- Family members using the same work computer
- Screen visible from outside or to visitors
- Confidential documents left on the desk or unlocked
- Work conversations overheard in shared spaces
Securing your home workspace
✓ Secure setup
- Position your screen so it isn't visible from a window or an open door
- Use a privacy filter on your screen if you work in an open space
- Lock your screen as soon as you step away (Win+L on Windows, Cmd+Ctrl+Q on Mac)
- Clearly separate work and personal use — ideally on separate devices
- Put away confidential documents — don't leave them visible during video calls
File sharing and online collaboration
✓ Secure file sharing
- Use the tools approved by your organization (SharePoint, business Google Drive, OneDrive for Business)
- Don't share confidential documents via personal or unapproved platforms
- Check sharing permissions — "anyone with the link" is often too permissive
- Disable sharing links after use
- Don't send sensitive data by unencrypted email — use secure sharing links
Video calls — security best practices
✓ Before and during the call
- Check your background — no confidential documents, whiteboards with info, or coworkers' screens visible
- Use a virtual background if you can't control your environment
- Enable the waiting room — verify participants' identity before admitting them
- Don't record without consent from all participants
- Mute your mic and turn off your camera when you're not speaking
- Don't share the meeting link publicly — public meetings can be "zoombombed"
Screen sharing and confidentiality
✗ Common screen-sharing mistakes
- Sharing the entire screen instead of a specific window — reveals notifications, tabs, open files
- Forgetting to close sensitive tabs before sharing
- Notifications popping up (email, Slack, text) during the share
- Sharing in-progress or unfinalized information
✓ Secure screen-sharing procedure
- Choose "specific window" rather than "entire screen"
- Enable "Do Not Disturb" mode to block notifications
- Close unnecessary tabs and apps
- Check what's visible before starting the share
Access and permission management
The principle of least privilege also applies to remote work: each person accesses only the resources they need for their job.
✓ Access management best practices
- Never share your work credentials with coworkers "to help out"
- Report to IT immediately if you think your access has been compromised
- Log out of corporate systems when you're done for the day
- Don't access corporate systems from public or shared computers
Physical security of your workstation
✓ Physically protecting your workstation
- Always lock your computer when you step away — even for 2 minutes
- Enable hard drive encryption (BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on Mac) — protects your data if the device is stolen
- Physically secure the device if you're working in a cafe — a lock cable for laptops
- Never leave your computer unattended in a public space
- Be wary of found USB drives — never plug them in
Shoulder surfing and visual hacking
Shoulder surfing means looking over someone's shoulder to see what they're typing or reading. It's a very simple and very effective physical spying technique on public transit, in cafes, and in coworking spaces.
On the subway, Julie checks her work email. Someone sitting across from her takes photos of her screen with their phone. She doesn't notice. That evening, her client's information is in someone else's hands.
✓ Protecting yourself from shoulder surfing
- Use a screen privacy filter (a few dozen dollars)
- Position yourself with your back to a wall when working in a public space
- Avoid displaying sensitive information on public transit
- Cover your keyboard when typing your password
Clean desk and protecting visible information
The "clean desk" policy means never leaving confidential information visible on your physical or digital desk when you step away.
✓ Clean desk rules
- Put away all paper documents containing sensitive information
- Lock your screen as soon as you step away
- Shred confidential documents — don't throw them out whole
- Don't leave your password on a sticky note (even "under" your keyboard)
- Store physical storage media (USB drives, disks) in a secure place
On the road, in public places, and at the office
✓ Precautions by context
- Airport/transit: don't work on sensitive data, keep your screen locked at all times, be wary of audible phone conversations
- Coworking: treat it as a public space — screen filter, clean desk, VPN
- At the office: clean desk applies there too — shared printers, meeting rooms, open space
- Shared printer: retrieve your confidential printouts immediately
Office layout — spot the flaws
Click each colored zone to identify the security issues in this office.
visible
the hallway"
left out
Module quiz
Test what you've learned with 4 questions.
See also