Re: passworded screen savers with timeouts, why?

[Selden E Ball Jr <seb () LEPP CORNELL EDU>]

Mike wondered

>  We are in the implementation stage of password and workstation
> policies. My questions, which comes from a number of users, is why a
> screen saver with a timeout period that requires entering a password
> when unlocking the screen saver?

What alternatives are being considered?

The term "screensaver" is a misnomer these days, since most really
don't try to prevent phosphor burnin, the original intent.

"Password protected screensavers with timeouts" are a way to
a) prevent unauthorized access to a desktop system
b) when the user leaves for an unexpectedly long time
c) without losing whatever work is currently in progress.

The alternatives that I can think of are worse:

a) leave the computer desktop unprotected when one is
   away from the physical desk -- you don't know who might wander by
   who would be interested in what you're doing or who might make
   some unnoticed modification to something.

b) always having to remember to manually lock the desktop -- it's too easy
   to forget

c) forcing a complete logout may cause the loss of work and certainly
   a loss of time when one has to reopening all the programs and
   windows that were in use.


Selden
======
Selden E. Ball, Jr.

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