Many faculty and staff at the University of British Columbia (UBC) travel to other countries for academic, research, or personal reasons, and choose to bring laptop computers, mobile phones, or other electronic devices with them. These devices may contain sensitive personal or institutional information.
International border agents have broad inspection powers. They may ask travelers to provide their electronic devices for physical inspection and may attempt to copy their contents. Agents may also request that travelers unlock their devices or apps, which can expose stored credentials and secure systems, ranging from personal bank accounts to institutional databases. Travelers who do not cooperate may be turned away at the border or detained. UBC values the safety of its faculty and staff and is therefore recommending that they cooperate with border agents and that, if a device contains sensitive data and there is a reasonable risk it may be searched at an international border crossing, they take one of the following steps before crossing the border:
- Remove sensitive data from the device by uninstalling or logging out of apps that contain such information, and set the device to airplane mode while crossing the border; or
- Leave the device at home and use a blank device.
UBC has a legal duty under the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA to protect personal information in its custody or control, including on devices used by faculty, staff, volunteers, and service providers. Report unauthorized disclosures to security@ubc.ca as soon as possible.