Protecting Personal Information at UBC

Faculty and staff at UBC play a crucial role in safeguarding personal information. This information, which can include student grades, employee social insurance numbers, and health data, deserves robust protection from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss.

Why is it Important to Keep Personal Information Safe?

Personal information in the wrong hands can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and reputational damage. By taking steps to secure this data, we protect not only ourselves and our colleagues but also the individuals whose information we handle.

How Can I Help Protect Personal Information?

Here are some key practices to adopt:

• Encrypt Your Devices: Strong encryption scrambles data on your computer and mobile devices, making it unreadable to anyone without the decryption key. Learn more about encrypting your devices at How to Encrypt Your Devices.
• Use Secure File Sharing: When sharing files containing personal information, utilize UBC-approved services like TeamShare or OneDrive. These services offer secure storage and access controls. Find more information on UBC file-sharing services.
• Minimize Data Retention: Don't store personal information longer than necessary. Regularly review and delete files you no longer need.

Protecting Personal Information in the Office:

• Building Strong Passwords:
  • Enforce complex passwords with at least eight characters, including upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • Consider using passphrases (minimum 16 characters) for enhanced security.
  • Never use work passwords for personal accounts.
• Downloading and Storing Wisely:
  • Download only the minimum amount of personal information (PI) required for your work.
  • Clean data to remove unnecessary information before storing it securely.
  • Utilize encrypted network folders and avoid storing PI on local machines or unencrypted devices.
• Sharing with Caution:
  • Adhere to the principle of "least privilege." Share only the essential PI with authorized individuals.
  • Leverage secure channels like network folders for information sharing.
  • Never send high-risk information like Social Insurance Numbers or health data via email. If email is unavoidable, encrypt the attachments.
• Retention and Disposal:
  • Retain PI only for the period dictated by business needs.
  • Before transferring, selling, or discarding a device, ensure all PI is securely removed.

Go Further...

• Share Files Securely
• Transmission and Sharing of UBC Electronic Information
• Acceptable Use and Security of UBC Electronic Information and Systems
• How to encrypt files using common applications
• Safeguarding Sensitive Data