WELCOME TO IT SECURITY
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Thank you for visiting the IT Security site. The purpose of this site is to highlight the importance of IT security and to promote a secure computing environment for the UFV user community.
IT Security is Everyone's Responsibility
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About IT Security
IT Security is a relatively new area within Information Technology Services. It was born out of a recognized need for consolidating the planning and administration of security for UFV's information network.
Some initial and ongoing objectives include:
- Establishing a formal IT security framework
- Developing comprehensive security policies
- Contributing to UFV's business continuity/disaster recovery planning
- Analyzing and documenting key IT processes
- Implementing security enhancements and upgrades
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Contact
Christopher Jones, IT Security Administrator
Information Technology Services
Room B244b
Local 4566
Email: Christopher.Jones@ufv.ca |
Security Is Everyone's Concern
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As the saying goes, "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link." This applies to IT security, as well. A safe and secure computing environment is not just the concern of the IT professionals maintaining it, but of everyone who uses it.
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Everyone Can Contribute
Following are some practical ways that users can contribute to their own security as well as the security of UFV's information network.
- Don't share your password(s) with anyone
- Make sure that passwords are sufficiently complex (minimum of 8 characters, include a combination of uppercase, lowercase, numeric and/or special characters) where possible
- Use a recognized anti-virus program (Sophos, Norton AV, AVG, etc.)
- Keep your virus signatures up to date
- Don't open or respond to SPAM email messages
- Never open attachments from unsolicited email
- Be extremely careful posting and storing personally identifiable information (PII) as identity theft is rampant
While these practices may seem obvious, it is amazing how often people disregard basic security precautions. |
More to Come. . .
- The security landscape is changing all the time. . .so please visit this site often for updated information and tips on safe and secure computing
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Encryption
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When you store critical or confidential information, you should protect it via encryption.
This is especially so if this data is stored on portable devices like laptops, USB sticks, or even smartphones.
Good encryption software is readily available. For example, TrueCrypt is easy to install and use. Best of all, it's free!
TrueCrypt gives you the option of creating an encrypted folder, or encrypting your entire hard drive.
When properly encrypted, personal and confidential data will be inaccessible if your portable device is lost or stolen.
Visit www.truecrypt.org to find out more. |
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