Your exclusive monthly e-magazine
November 2004 - Confidentiality and information security
Features
Shhhhhhh! It's top secret!
Are you ethically challenged?
Secure your privacy!
Do you want to know a secret?
Why you should make your workstation a fortress
Are you being invaded in cyberspace?
Keep on the right side of the law
In the News
Your age is irrelevant - skills are the key
What keeps you in your job? Your workmates, apparently!
Volunteering can benefit everyone - including you!
Free training course for DeskDemon Express subscriber
I'm a stressed secretary - get me out of here!
Will you be our Guest Editor?
Event Calendar
Fun Quiz
Who let the cat out of the bag?
Is confidential information safe in your hands, or does it just slip through...? Roisin Woolnough challenges you to check your discretion levels.The Archives!
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Who let the cat out of the bag? Roisin Woolnough challenges you to check your discretion levels. Is confidential information safe in your hands, or does it just slip through...?
What's one of the worst faults a PA could have? Indiscretion. As a PA, you are party to a lot of sensitive, confidential information and part of your job is keeping that information confidential. This doesn't just mean not letting on how much Harry from sales received for his annual bonus or the fact that a bullying grievance case has been lodged against the MD. It also means protecting sensitive corporate information from prying eyes and ensuring your IT and communications practices are safe. Try this fun quiz to see if you can be trusted:
1. You're on the way to work on a train jam-packed with fellow commuters when your boss calls, asking for some vital information about a client. Fortunately, you know all the details she needs as you were only looking at their account last night. What do you do?
A Rattle off all the info that instant, making sure you are loud and clear so that your boss doesn't get anything wrong. In fact, to make doubly sure, you repeat it all again.
B You explain that you're not in the best position to give out such information, but that you will give her a call in 15 minutes when you get into the office and give her all the information then.
C Whispering into your mobile in the hope that no-one else can hear, you give her a quick overview and try not to mention any specifics.
2. You're off on your two-week break and have got a temp in to cover you when you're away. How do you set him up on your system?
A You stick a post-it note to your screen with all your passwords so that he can access everything. You leave a duplicate attached to the front of your diary on the top of your in-tray.
B You arrange with the IT department for him to be set up with his own security settings so that he can access the necessary systems. You send this information to the agency in advance so that he can get started on day one.
C You leave some instructions on a file on your desk on how to access your machine, including passwords.
3. The annual salary review is over and everyone wants to know if others had the same percentage increase as them. Quite a few people have been pumping you for information, fully aware that you are in the know. How do you respond?
A You make a big song and dance about how you couldn't possibly reveal such information, but by lunchtime, a couple of people have already wheedled out of you who got the above-average increases.
B Smile and say that you don't really remember and make it clear that's as far as it goes.
C A couple of weeks down the line and you accidentally let slip to Susan from marketing that a third of the department got an extra 1.5%.
4. A former employee has brought a case of unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination against your boss and the word has got out. You've seen the files and have a good idea of what the situation is. What do you do?
A Get straight on e-mail and send a few juicy details to a select few colleagues. You then arrange a mid-morning tea break with them and look forward to a good old gossip.
B You keep your distance from all the office chat and make sure you keep the relevant files safe.
C Once she has sworn not to tell anyone else, you give the other secretary the low-down.
5. When you go to lunch, what do you do to your machine?
A Nothing, you're straight out the door and will even leave an e-mail half-written and displayed on the screen rather than risk hitting the lunch hour rush.
B You always put your screensaver on so that your machine is secure.
C You minimise all your documents so that nothing is showing.
6. You've got all the files out on a particular individual when you are called into a meeting. What do you do?
A Leave them as they are on your desk. You've spent 20 minutes locating the relevant information and marking what you need to type up, so you don't want to waste your time starting again.
B Explain that you will be a couple of minutes so that you can put the files away again and lock the cabinet. You don't want to leave them out for all and sundry to see.
C You put them to one side and make sure they are covered with today's newspaper. No-one would realise they were there after all.
Your Results
Mostly A's Discretion is most definitely not your middle name. You make no effort to maintain confidentiality and have a reputation for gossiping. The worst bit is that you don't care and half the time you don't even realise that you're at fault. You had better sharpen up your act fast or you're going to get into trouble.
Mostly B's You can be trusted to act in a sensible, confidential manner and information is safe in your hands - just how a PA should be.
Mostly C's You try to keep information under wraps, but you often let things slip out all the same. You need to take more care with your actions and what you say to people - being indiscreet accidentally is not good enough.
DD News
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