Information Security for Department Heads

Welcome to the Information Technology guidance page for Department Heads. As those chiefly responsible for the quality and quantity of work in the departments, UVA departmental managers are in a position to ensure UVA Information Security policies, standards, and procedures are followed, set compliance for their respective departments, and act as a role model in following University policy for information and IT resources. In short, departmental managers are responsible for the security of their IT resrouces and safeguarding of the University's data.

It is important that each manager take time to learn what categories of data sensitive its data are and what steps need to be taken in order to secure these data. We hope that this page will provide a roadmap for accessing information across our website to help you in this task. The University Information Security office offers many services to help with the responsibility of effective IT security and data ownership, including security resources and tools for departmental managers and a security policy FAQ.

The contents of this page include: 

• Secure Your Department
  • Utilize ITS Services
  • Get security software
  • More ways to secure your department
• Electronic Storage of Information Access Guidance
• Report a security incident in your department
• More Information

Secure Y​our Department

The following are techniques and resources you can use to make your department more cyber-secure. You and your employees are required to use many of these services, and it is your responsibility as a department chair to ensure that your team is following protocol.

• Utilize ITS Services

  • The More Secure Network: If your department is managing sensitive or internal use data, we recommend that devices used by members of your department be secured behind the University's hardware firewall, the More Secure Network. The list of "devices" includes (but is not limited to) desktop computers, laptops, tablets, cameras, audio recorders, smart phones and other mobile devices, as well as servers (including shared drives), printers, copiers, routers, switches, firewall hardware, network-aware devices with embedded electronic systems (i.e. “Internet of Things”), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and industrial control systems, etc. If your department manages highly sensitive data, you must locate devices behind a hardware firewall configured by a highly skilled IT professional and approved by the UVA Information Security office or the Health Information and Technology office as appropriate. 
  • NetBadge: All users in your department should be using Netbadge to log into UVA related systems. Netbadge is a Two-Factor Authentication system that is far more secure than an ordinary password protection system. 
  • Network Registration: ITS requires most devices connecting to the University wired and wireless network be registered in ITS’ database. This policy enables ITS to track down compromised or “hacked” machines quickly, minimizing damage done not only to those machines, but also to others on the University network as well. More timely problem resolution means shorter downtimes and shorter periods of degraded network performance for all users at UVA. 

    Log into UVA Network Registration through NetBadge to register a device, or to check and/or update an existing device's registration.

  • Storage, Hosting, and Servers: Follow the following links to obtain information on the following categories: Box (UVA Box), Storage, Servers, Website and Application Development, Backup Service, CrashPlan, Data Centers, Databases, Research Computing, and Home Directory Service. 
  • Phone, Video Conference, and TV: Follow the corresponding links for questions about Phones, Video and Audio Conferencing, Television (IPTV), and Cellular Calling and WiFi Coverage. 

• Get Security Software for you and your team:

  • AntiVirus: Use Microsoft Windows Defender for PCs, Gatekeeper for Macs, or Cylance for Linux, Mac, or Windows
  • Delete your data safely and securely by following the Electronic Data Removal Procedures guidelines. You can download the Secure Deletion Shredder for Windows using this link. To securely delete information for Macs and get more information on securely deleting data on your device, follow this link.
  • Transfer files to/from servers using SecureFX
  • Secure remote access and file transfer with SecureCRT
  • Encrypt files on your computer
  • Patch Management Service

    • Endpoint Management System Center Configuration Manager (EM-SCCM): Enables administrators to remotely manage large groups of computers for Operating System deployment, software deployment, patch management, and hardware and software inventory

    • JAMF: Enables administrators to manage departmental Mac computers for Operating System updates, software deployment, and patch management

    • Windows Software Update Server (WSUS): Enables administrators to manage the distribution of updates and Microsoft Security patches to Windows computers

• More ways to secure your department:

  • Help your department Choose Strong Passwords
  • Provide Security Tips for Traveling members of your department
  • Contact the Information Security Office for more information or assistance

Electronic Storage of Information Access Guidance

If access to an employee's or student's stored files and/or communications is needed for a given business, legal, law enforcement, or academically-justified reason, please consult the Electronically Stored Information Release standard and procedure.

Have a Information Security Incident?

• Report a security problem

Learn Mor​e

• Protect University Data
• Scanning your operating systems for vulnerabilities
• Scan Web applications for vulnerabilities
• Useful information to share with your users
• VA SCAN - Virginia Alliance for Secure Computing and Networking