Security Office

Advice for SPS staff

Security Considerations for Home Working

As many colleagues continue to work from home, the Security Office would like to draw your attention to some security tips and advice from the Centre Protection for National Infrastructure (CPNI) around creating a safe environment for virtual meetings.  CPNI is the government authority for protective security advice to the UK national infrastructure. They are leaders in security, providing resources, guidance and expert advice to help protect and keep business’s secure from external threats.

CPNI advice centres on considering your surroundings when having private work conversations and encourages you to think about whether you have the same level of privacy as you would have in the office or in a meeting room. You might like to think about:

  • Check the area around your device to ensure that any sensitive or personal information is not visible to others on the video call.
  • It is possible to blur the background or use a background image which can add a degree of personal privacy when working from a home environment.
  • If you are having a confidential meeting, consider whether your environment is suitable for this. You may wish to consider shutting windows for the duration of your call for example. We also recommend that you make sure any “smart speaker” devices such as Amazon Echo or other “always listening” features on your phone such as Siri or Bixby are turned off.
  • If you are the meeting host, before admitting external users, check that you recognise their names and that they are invited participants. You have the option to not admit external users who have not given enough information.
  • If you are an attendee, do not forward on meeting invites without checking with the meeting host first.

Staying safe at home

As we continue remote working, you may be interested in additional external resources to help with the challenges of working from and staying safe at home.

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland

Sign up to the Neighbourhood Watch Alert system to receive timely alerts about local crime prevention and safety issues from partners such as Police Scotland.

Trading Standards Scotland

Sign up for the weekly Scam Share bulletin, which looks at the latest phone, email and online scams affecting Scottish consumers

Police Scotland

Read Police Scotland’s advice on how to keep your home and personal property secure.

Will new passholders be enrolled to Two Factor Authentication (TFA)?

No. Passholders not yet enrolled for TFA will not be added to the system until further notice.

Can new security passes be issued?

The Pass Studio will be closed during the current restrictions. If you have any questions, please contact the securitypass@parliament.scot.

Any Member who has forgotten their security pass can arrange for their spare pass to be brought to them by calling the Security Monitoring Suite, Ext: 85582.

How can I contact the Security Office?

Security Office staff are working from home, therefore there is no direct telephone communication. All queries and requests should be emailed to securitypass@parliament.scot. The mailbox is monitored 8.30am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

If you have an urgent request you should call the Security Monitoring Suite, x85582.

Pass applications, renewals and security clearance will still be undertaken. The usual forms can continue to be used and are available on the intranet. These intranet links will work when you are signed on to the Parliament network. 

Please see the Security Office policies on the intranet for further guidance: