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CIS ISO NIST CSF Essentials SOC

Password is required to unlock the screen

Time to fix

< 5m

What

Screen lock password protection ensures that your computer requires authentication (password, PIN, or biometric) when waking from sleep or after the screensaver activates. This prevents unauthorized access when you step away from your computer.

Why you should require a password to unlock the screen

Without password protection, anyone can access your computer when you're away, even briefly. This could lead to data theft, unauthorized changes to your system, or access to sensitive accounts that remain logged in.

In office environments or public spaces, an unlocked screen poses significant security risks, potentially exposing confidential information, personal data, and corporate resources.

Check current screen lock settings

First, verify your current screen lock configuration:

For GNOME:

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-enabled

Should return 'true' if password is required.

For KDE Plasma:

kreadconfig5 --file kscreenlockerrc --group Daemon --key Autolock

Should return '1' or 'true' if auto-lock is enabled.

How to enable password-protected screen lock

GNOME (Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian)

  • Open Settings
  • Navigate to Privacy & Security → Screen Lock
  • Enable Automatic Screen Lock
  • Set Automatic Screen Lock Delay to your preference (5 minutes recommended)
  • Enable Lock Screen on Suspend

Or via command line:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-enabled true gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-delay 0 gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 300

KDE Plasma

  • Open System Settings
  • Go to Workspace Behavior → Screen Locking
  • Enable Lock screen automatically
  • Set timeout to 5 minutes or less
  • Enable Lock screen on resume
  • Check Require password after locking

XFCE

  • Open Settings Manager
  • Click on Screensaver
  • Enable Enable Screensaver
  • Check Lock screen when screensaver is active
  • Set appropriate timeout values

MATE Desktop

  • Open Control Center
  • Click on Screensaver
  • Check Lock screen when screensaver is active
  • Set Regard the computer as idle after to 5 minutes or less

Additional Security Options

Configure manual lock shortcuts for immediate protection:

Common keyboard shortcuts:

  • Super + L - Most desktop environments
  • Ctrl + Alt + L - Alternative shortcut

Command line lock:

# GNOME gnome-screensaver-command -l # KDE qdbus org.freedesktop.ScreenSaver /ScreenSaver Lock # Generic (works with most lockers) loginctl lock-session
Best Practices
  • Set screen lock timeout to 5 minutes or less for optimal security
  • Always manually lock your screen when leaving your computer
  • Use a strong password or passphrase for your user account
  • Consider using biometric authentication if available
  • Enable lock on suspend/sleep for laptops
Important Notes
  • Screen lock only protects against casual access - disk encryption provides stronger protection
  • Some applications may prevent the screensaver from activating (video players, presentations)
  • Virtual machines may have different lock behavior than the host system
  • Password requirements should match your organization's security policy