Laptop security baseline for engineering teams
Most security incidents don’t start with a zero‑day.
They start with a laptop that’s:
- unpatched
- logged into everything
- carrying keys it shouldn’t have
- one weak network away from becoming your next incident
If you’re an engineering leader, you don’t need a “security program” to fix this. You need a baseline that’s clear, enforceable, and boring.
The baseline (what “good” looks like)
If you do nothing else, standardize these:
- Full-disk encryption is on (FileVault/BitLocker).
- Automatic updates are on, with an emergency patch path for actively exploited issues.
- MFA is required for SSO/GitHub, ideally phishing-resistant (security keys).
- A password manager is required; shared/break-glass creds live there (not in docs/Slack).
- Short auto-lock + re-auth on wake.
- No local copies of production customer data by default (use sanitized datasets or secure staging).
- Endpoint management is in place (inventory, remote lock/wipe, compliance visibility).
Encrypt -> Update -> MFA -> Secrets -> Lock -> Data -> MDM
This isn’t about “perfect.” It’s about reducing the blast radius of a lost device or a single bad click.
Keep evidence lightweight
If you need to prove compliance later, capture:
- device inventory from MDM
- encryption status and OS version
- MFA enforcement at the IdP
That’s enough for most audits without extra process.
The rollout (how to do it without stepping on toes)
The easiest way to avoid fights is to keep it factual and workflow-based:
- Write the baseline in plain language.
- Enforce what you can via MDM.
- Provide an exception path (time-bound, documented, owned).
- Treat gaps as system fixes, not “gotchas.”
If staff engineers see you aiming for consistency and fewer incidents (not control), they’ll help.
Where DawnOps fits
DawnOps includes a short, practical module (“Laptop Security Basics”) to align teams on what the baseline is and why it matters — without shaming people or turning it into a leaderboard.