Information Security at Northwestern: Secure IT

Most of us aren't aware that information security touches our lives—on and off campus—every day. From protecting your computer with security software to collaborating via e-mail and calendaring to browsing the Internet, Northwestern University is committed to protecting information resources that are critical to its academic and research mission.

It is the responsibility of University community members to become familiar and comply with University policies by maintaining a secure computer with updated security software and to report any suspected security incidents to local technical support staff, management, or NUIT.

What is an information security incident?

Information security incidents are any known or suspected events or circumstances that result in the unauthorized release or exposure of sensitive information beyond the University's control. Some examples may include:

• Theft or physical loss of computer equipment known to hold files containing SSNs or other sensitive data
• An unencrypted list of contributors e-mailed to an unauthorized party
• Printed copies of student loan applications are discovered in a publicly accessible dumpster
• Computers sensitive data are accessed or compromised by unauthorized parties
• A network outage attributed to the activities of an unauthorized party

How can I report an incident?