Our IT Security Approach
IT security requires a thoughtful balance between securing the university community from the risk of cyber attacks and loss of information while allowing the openness required to support a broad range of academic, research and administrative activities. Our goal is to minimize or eliminate the risks where there are vulnerabilities and work with members of the university community to find security solutions that meet their needs.
Protecting the university and members of our community against the threat of cyberattacks requires a proactive and continually evolving approach. Our IT Security strategy includes four primary components that combine technical settings with user awareness and education.
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Device ManagementWhat’s the risk? What are we doing?
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Network Security
What’s the risk? One of the most damaging ways cybercriminals attack large organizations is by gaining access to communication networks to disrupt services, transmit malware or steal data. Once malware begins to spread and attack the network, preserving information and preventing the further spread becomes a great challenge. What are we doing? We are segmenting our network to create boundaries between devices and systems so users can have access to the information and systems they need while limiting the chance of infections spreading between multiple devices or gaining access to sensitive university information. Segmentation strengthens our defense against attacks by:
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Safe Data Storage
What’s the risk? The university amasses a great amount of information in support of academic, research and administrative activities. Data breaches can have a devastating impact on the university and the individuals who have a vested interest in the safety of that data. What are we doing? Protecting data requires a holistic view of the types of information being collected across the university, the technology that process and store information and the people who are accountable for the input and management of information. To address this challenge, the university recently addressed the following: |
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IT Security Awareness
What’s the risk? Many IT security incidents occur when members of an organization unknowingly provide access or private credentials to cybercriminals. Providing university community members with information to detect cyber-attacks and methods to report threats greatly increases the security posture of the university. What are we doing? IT Security training was developed and is offered to all members of the university community. The self-administered training includes:
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Account Security - Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
What are we doing?
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