How to Lock a Workstation

Security issues are very important for all individuals and companies. When a computer user fails to sign off the computer or lock the computer, anyone can use the computer to access information. When the computer is a workstation on a network, an unauthorized person has access to everything the official user has access to on the entire network. More people access information on computers without permission through unattended workstations than by hacking into the systems from other locations. Every workstation user can lock his workstation in a few seconds by following a few easy steps. Unlocking the computer only takes a few seconds as well.

Instructions

How to Lock a Workstation With a Desktop Shortcut in Windows

1. Click the right mouse button with the cursor anywhere on the desktop to open the menu.

2. Move the pointer over the word "New" to bring up a sub-menu.

3. Highlight and click "Shortcut."

4. Wait a moment for the "Create a Shortcut Wizard" to open.

5. Enter the following location of the program you want the shortcut to go to: %windir%\System32\rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

6. Click on the "Next" button.

7. Type in a name for the newly created shortcut.

8. Click the "Finish" button to finalize the creation of the shortcut.

9. Double click the new lock-down shortcut to make sure it works.

How to Lock a Workstation with the Screen Saver in Windows

1. Click the right mouse button anywhere on the desktop and select "Properties" on the menu.

2. Look for the "Screen Saver" tab on the "Display Properties" window.

3. Choose a screen saver file (if you don't have one set up) by clicking the drop-down list and selecting a screen saver.

4. Decide how long your workstation should wait before going to the screen saver. Enter the number of minutes in the "Wait" field.

5. Place a check mark in the box next to a statement saying "On Resume, Password Protect" or "Password Protected" by clicking the box.

6. Click the "Apply" or "Ok" button to make the changes effective.

Tips & Warnings

• Make it a habit to lock the workstation any time you will be away from the computer for more than a couple of minutes. Within a month or two, you won't have to think about locking the computer, since you will do it automatically.

• Make sure you have a password that is difficult to guess. Work with the network administrator to use a password you can remember easily that is not based on your name, social security number, birthdays or anniversaries.

• The fastest way to lock a Windows-based workstation is to press down the key with the Windows logo and the letter l (as in lemon).