PrISM has developed online privacy and information security training for all faculty and staff at UBC. This 20-30-minute training session will empower you to protect personal information and other confidential UBC information and systems.

Learn more about the training.

RMS provides a risk management service to the University community to facilitate the identification and management of key privacy and information security risks related to the collection, use, storage, disclosure, and disposition of Personal Information (PI).  In most cases, our approach is to:

1. Perform PI data mapping, at the category or unit level, to determine what PI repositories exist (electronic and paper-based), and which ones present the highest-risk.
2. Identify opportunities to stop collecting high-risk PI, and any other PI, if it is not necessary to support the unit’s activities. Additionally, we explore ways to reduce the need to download PI from source systems and store it on mobile devices.
3. Take a risk-based approach, and partner with units to perform PI risk assessments to determine if PI is handled in a secure manner. Currently available risk assessments include: 
   • Operational Risk Assessment (ORA) – a management tool to assess at the department / unit level key risks and levels of compliance associated with end-user requirements defined in the Information Security Standards and Privacy Fact Sheets;
   • User Risk Assessment (URA) – an end-user tool built to support management’s completion of the ORA, and provide an educational tool that any employee can use to familiarize themselves with key privacy and information security requirements; and,
   • Application Risk Assessment (ARA) – a technical tool for IT personnel to assess the level of risk and compliance associated with the technical requirements defined in the Information Security Standards.
4. Following up with units semi-annually to obtain a progress report and provide any additional support that may be required for them to move into compliance with the University’s key privacy and information security requirements.

Key Deliverables:

1. A simple, practical action plan for units to reduce key risks and compliance gaps with the Privacy Fact Sheets and Information Security Standards, and a unit heat map to enable them to prioritize the actions based on the level of risk they are currently exposed to.
2. Our work significantly informs other PrISM initiatives including: 
   • Updates to the Information Security Standards – we provide feedback to UBC IT on areas that units are struggling to comply with and the reasons why.
   • Privacy & Information Security Training and Awareness – we provide common risk areas (identified during our risk assessment activities), to ensure these are addressed in a manner that helps educate employee’s on their responsibilities.

Encryption is the most effective way to keep your personal information and UBC’s data secure. Encryption is a method of making information unreadable in order to protect it from unauthorized access. When information is encrypted, a password is required to make it readable again.

UBC policy and British Columbia law require all mobile devices (including laptops) that are used to store confidential information to be encrypted. The PrISM team is working to encourage encryption of all devices used for work purposes by departments and faculties at UBC. Learn more about encryption.

The awareness and communication project is working to increase education and awareness to change behavior and build a privacy and information security conscious culture. The creation of the Privacy Matters @ UBC initiative to ensure that all faculty and staff are regularly exposed to communications about privacy and information security requirements. The comprehensive communications strategy is working to sustain awareness and engagement among faculty and staff at UBC.