ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Four out of five mobile workers say they’ve caught someone looking over their shoulder at their laptop screen in a public space.¹ This low-tech threat, known as visual hacking, is a growing concern as more workers are accessing confidential company information outside of the office in public spaces.

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3M Offers Guidance and Resources to Mobile Workers on Data Privacy Day (Photo: Business Wire).

To help address visual hacking, 3M today announced its commitment to Data Privacy Day. This international effort is held annually on January 28 to create awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust. As a Data Privacy Day Champion, 3M recognizes and supports the principle that individuals, organizations, businesses and government all share the responsibility of being conscientious stewards of personal information.

“Low-tech threats to data privacy, like visually hacking a laptop or smartphone screen, are often overlooked,” said Nicola Stevens, global business director, 3M. “On Data Privacy Day, organizations need to take the time to evaluate these threats as a visual hacker may only need one piece of valuable information to unlock a large-scale data breach.”

3M provides the following guidance to help workers minimize a visual hacking risk:

• Practice situational awareness when working in public spaces, such as a coffee shop, hotel lobby or airport. Seek out areas that provide the most privacy from prying eyes. This can reduce opportunities for a visual hacker to steal valuable information from a device screen.
• Use privacy filters from 3M on device screens to shield sensitive and confidential information displayed on a screen from side-angled views. Use the 3M Product Selector Tool to find the appropriate filter for your device.
• Access confidential data outside of office walls only when necessary, and don’t expose data or personal information on a screen longer than necessary.

As the expert in visual privacy, 3M offers the industry’s broadest line of privacy products to fit today’s most popular devices. 3M Visual Privacy solutions can be applied to screens of monitors, laptops, tablets and smartphones to help organizations prevent visual hacking. Learn more at www.3Mscreens.com.

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.

3M is a trademark of 3M Company.

¹ Ponemon Institute, “Public Spaces Interview Study,” 2017, sponsored by 3M. Study based on responses from 46 professional mobile workers.

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