Tips for Faculty & Staff



Tips for Faculty & Staff
Privacy & Information Security - Wherever You Work
Take a moment to remember privacy and information security
Nearly every UBC faculty and staff member has access to confidential information. As the loss or disclosure of this information could be very harmful, it's important for you to know how to protect it no matter where you are working.
Thanks to significant advancements in mobile technologies, more faculty and staff are working remotely than ever before. While this is a convenient arrangement, it can cause concern when users are accessing research, financial or personal information. This type of data is at a higher risk of being compromised, corrupted, or lost when accessed remotely.
As the University increases the support for a hybrid working environment (remotely, and in the office) – it is necessary to review some key privacy and information security reminders for all UBC employees. Security and privacy threats are pervasive, and the impact of a breach can be massive – for example, the financial impact of fines and lawsuits, reputational damage to UBC, loss of research, and of course potential harms to affected individuals.

Educational and healthcare records sell for $265+ per record on the dark web vs. $5 for a credit card
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87% of educational institutions have experienced at least one successful cyberattack
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Educational institutions have become top ransomware targets
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Cybercrimes to cost the world $10.5 trillion USD annually by 2025, making it more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal drugs combined
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Security Checks When Working in the Office
All Devices used for University Business—no matter whether they are owned by the University, by the User, or by a third party—must be protected from theft or unauthorized access. This is clearly mandated in Information Security Standard U7

Security Checks When Working Remotely
When working remotely, it is easy to forget how vulnerable the personal information on your devices can be. Here are a few tips to stay secure when working away from the UBC Network:

Top Privacy & Security Reminders
With a highly mobile workforce, cybersecurity precautions remain high for faculty, staff, and student employees, regardless of whether you work remotely or on campus. At UBC, we are responsible for substantial amounts of personal information about students, faculty and staff as well as any other confidential information we hold on behalf of the university. Nearly every UBC faculty and staff member has access to confidential information, including personal and payment card data. As the loss or disclosure of this information could be very harmful, it's important for you to know how to protect it. Please use the following privacy and information security tips as a starting point, then review the links in the "Go even further section..." and bookmark the pages and references most applicable to your role at UBC.
Go even further...
For a much more in-depth look at privacy and information security, review the following:
Complete the full Fundamentals training to learn how to protect yourself and othersInformation Security Standard #3: Transmission and Sharing of UBC Electronic Information
Policy SC14, Acceptable Use and Security of UBC Electronic Information and Systems [PDF]
Stream a privacy and information security workshop on demand