IT Security Awareness: Information Security is Everyone

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IT Security AwarenessInformation Security is
Everyones Business

• A Guide to Information Technology Security at
• Northern Virginia
• Community College

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Goals of IT Security Awareness Training

• To assist faculty and staff in using safe, secure
  computer practice to safeguard College computing
  systems and data they store or access.
• To answer any questions about information
  security requirements and procedures
• To promote Computer Security Awareness

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Information Technology Security Awareness
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What Is IT Security Awareness?

• Information Technology Security Awareness means
  understanding various information technology
  threats that exist in one's computing environment
  and taking reasonable steps to guard against
  them.

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Who Is Responsible for IT Security?

• Everyone who uses a computer needs to know how to
  keep his or her computer and data secure to
  ensure a safe working environment.
• NOTE Security Awareness is one of the thirteen
  security components required in the COV ITRM
  Standard SEC2001-01.1.

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Who Must Have Security Awareness Training?

• All new employees who use information technology
  or have access to areas where information
  resources reside, must receive formal training
  within 30 days
• Refresher training must be provided to all
  personnel annually at a minimum

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What Are User Personal Responsibilities?

• Report security violations
• Develop end-of-day security procedures
• Practice proper telephone and e-mail security
• Clear physical area in office of sensitive data
  when not in office
• Do not leave your portable unattended
• Lock your office, if possible

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What Are the Consequences for Security Violations?

• Risk to security and integrity of personal or
  confidential information
• Los of employee and public trust resulting in
  embarrassment and bad publicity
• Costly reporting requirements in case of
  compromise of sensitive information
• Internal disciplinary action(s) up to and
  including termination of employment, possible
  penalties, prosecution, potential for
  sanctions/lawsuits

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What Must Be Included in the Security Awareness
Training Program?

• Provide both general and position appropriate
  security awareness content
• Specify timeframes for receiving initial, ongoing
  and refresher training
• Be documented on an auditable medium
• Be approved by the Information Systems Security
  Officer

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How Is Security Awareness Training Documented?

• Receipt of training must be documented in
  employees personnel file with employees
  acknowledgement of receipt and understanding
• All training must be documented and filed with
  Information Systems Security Officer and
  available for audit

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How Can Training Be Delivered?

• New employee orientation
• General sessions
• Departmental sessions
• Web delivery via Web Pages, PowerPoint or video
• Tip of the month via email to distribution lists

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How Can Training Be Delivered?

• Posters
• Brochures
• Security Day
• Brown bag lunch sessions

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Computer Security
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How Do I Secure My Computer?

• Use a firewall
• Use strong passwords
• Use antivirus software
• Install security patches
• Share files correctly
• Back up files regularly
• Dont store sensitive information on hard drive

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How Can I Prevent Spyware on my Computer?

• Avoid free tool bars for your browser since they
  may come with spyware
• Regularly use spam cleaners to remove spyware.

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Using USB Drives Safely
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How Do I Use USB Flash Drives Safely?

• Back up files on USB flash drive
• Do not store sensitive data, such as SSNs or
  student grades, on USB flash drive
• If possible, use password to protect data on USB
  flash drive
• Remember to remove drive from your computer
  before walking away

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Safe Email Practice
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What Is Safe Email Practice?

• Dont open email attachments unless you know what
  they are.
• Dont open, forward or reply to spam or
  suspicious emails delete them.
• Be aware of sure signs of scam email.
• Not addressed to you by name
• Asks for personal or financial information
• Asks you for password
• Asks you to forward it to lots of other people

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Safe Email Practice

• Dont click on website addresses in emails unless
  you know what you are opening.
• Use official VCCS student email to communicate
  with students about grades or to provide feedback
  on assignments.
• Report email security concerns to IT Help Desk.

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How Do I Recognize Phishing?

• Phishing is type of email or instant message scam
  designed to steal your identity.
• Phishing is the act of attempting to
  fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such
  as usernames, passwords, and credit card details,
  by masquerading as trustworthy entity in
  electronic communication using email or instant
  message.

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How Can I Safeguard Against Phishing?

• Dont reply to email or pop-up messages that ask
  for personal or financial information.
• Dont click on links in email or instant message.
• Dont cut and paste link from questionable
  message into your Web browser.
• Use antivirus and firewalls and update them
  regularly.
• Dont email personal or financial information.

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• If you are scammed, visit Federal Trade
  Commissions Identity Theft website
  www.consumer.gov/idtheft

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Protecting Sensitive Information
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How Do I Protect Sensitive Data?

• Protect sensitive information on lists and
  reports with social security numbers (SSNs).
• Limit access to lists and reports with SSNs to
  those who specifically need SSNs for official
  college business.
• Never store SSNs or lists with SSNs on laptops or
  home computers.
• Save and store sensitive information on server
  managed by campus or college IT staff.

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Protection of Sensitive Data

• Never copy sensitive data to CDs, disks, or
  portable storage devices.
• Do not sore lists with sensitive information on
  the Web.
• Lock printed materials with sensitive data in
  drawers or cabinets when you leave at night.
• When done with printed sensitive material, shred
  them.

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Protection of Sensitive Data

• Remove sensitive materials from printer right
  away.
• If problem with printer, turn off printer to
  remove sensitive material from printers memory.
• Personally deliver sensitive materials to
  recipient or distribute information
  electronically using Colleges email system.
• Arrange for shared electronic file that requires
  user ID and password.

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Password Security Guidelines
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What Are the Password Security Guidelines?

• Passwords must be treated as sensitive and
  confidential information.
• Never share your password with anyone for any
  reason.
• Passwords should not be written down, stored
  electronically, or published.

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Password Security Guidelines

• Be sure to change initial passwords, password
  resets and default passwords first time you log
  in.
• Use different passwords for your different
  accounts.
• Create passwords that are
• not common,
• avoid common keyboard sequences,
• contain personal information, such as pets
  birthdays.

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Top Ten List of Good Computing Practices
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What Are the Steps to Take to Ensure Safe
Computing?

• Use cryptic passwords that cant be easily
  guessed and protect your passwords.
• Secure your area, files and portable equipment
  before leaving them unattended.
• Make sure your computer is protected with
  anti-virus and all security patches and updates.

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Steps to Ensure Safe Computing

• Make backup copies of data you do not want to
  lose and store the copies very securely.
• Dont save sensitive information on portable
  devises, such as laptops, memory sticks, PDAs
  data phones, CDs/DVDs.
• Practice safe emailing.
• Be responsible when using the Internet.

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Steps to Ensure Safe Computing

• Dont install unknown or suspicious programs on
  your computer.
• Prevent illegal duplication of proprietary
  software.
• Protect against sypware/adware.

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How Should I Report Security Incidents?

• Immediately report suspected security incidents
  breaches to your supervisor and the IT Help Desk.

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Resources
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Resource Handout

• Use the handout found on the IT Security
  Awareness Training website as easy reference for
  steps to follow to ensure information security.

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College and Campus Resources

• Contact the IT HelpDesk
• ithelpdesk_at_nvcc.vccs.edu
• 703-426-4141
• Contact the Office of Instructional Information
  Technology Support Services
• 703-323-3278
• Contact your campus Information Technology
  Manager (ITMs)

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Campus IT Staff Contacts

• Dave Babel (AL) dbabel_at_nvcc.vccs.edu
• 703-845-6019
• Bruce Ghofrany (AN) bghofrany_at_nvcc.edu
• 323-4259
• Jeff Howlett (MEC) jhowlett_at_nvcc.vccs.edu
• 703-822-6666
• Kevin Kelley (LO) kkelley_at_nvcc.edu
• 703-450-2569
• Lynn Bowers (MA) lbowers_at_nvcc.vccs.edu
• 703-257-6652
• Lynn Feist (WO) nvfeisl_at_nvcc.vccs.edu
• 703-878-5659
• Peter Tharp (CS) ptharp_at_nvcc.vccs.edu
• 703-323-3705
• Tom Pyron (ELI) jpyron_at_nvcc.edu
• 703-323-3800