SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF A USER AT A COMPUTER

Systems and methods for securing an unattended computer. The systems and methods provide an additional layer of security for computer systems by using network presence sensing (NPS) to detect the presence or absence of a user physically present at a computer system and if an authorized user is detected as having departed, taking a security action in response. The response may be to lock the computer, encrypted sensitive data, and so forth. The concept may also be applied at a facilities level, in computing pools, and in other instances physical presence or absence of a user at a computer is indicative of a need for a change in system state. This change could be security related, or could pertain to other resources.