Information Security
Secure UD Student Agreement
The Secure UD Student Agreement was released to new UD students on Jan. 18, 2017. This cybersecurity tutorial and agreement replaces the ECCE program that the University released in 1995.
All new students will access the Secure UD Student agreement via Slate (My Blue Hen Home) after they have paid their deposits. Completing it is required before a new student can set up his or her UDelNet (email) account.
Last call for 2016 Secure UD Training
Last September, UD IT launched phase three of 2016 Secure UD Training. The 2016 Secure UD Training cycle will end this February; employees will have until mid-February to complete their phase three modules as well as any other training that they have requested.
Secure UD Training uses short, topical training videos to address key ideas in information security. University employees are encouraged to complete Secure UD Training to better equip themselves to face cyber threats in their personal and professional lives. If you have not already done so, we urge you to complete your 2016 Secure UD Training.
Secure UD Training is refreshed annually to help the University community stay aware of current cyber threats. The 2017 Secure UD Training program will launch in late February.
UD Passwords expire after 15 months
As part of the Secure UD Initiative, passwords older than 15 months are now expiring. If your password will expire within 30 days, you will be alerted when you log in to your UD account. We encourage you to change your password when you see the alert screen so that you will not have to change your password if you are busy later. If your password expires, you will be unable to log in until you reset it. Go to My UD Settings to reset your password.
New passwords must adhere to several security rules. For example, passwords must not consist of a single word or name, must contain a variety of character types, and must be at least 12 characters long. The full list of password best practices is available at the Secure UD website.
macOS managed desktop series
IT Client Support & Services (IT-CS&S) led a pair of sessions presenting the findings of a summer UD-wide focus group on developing standards for securely managing macOS desktops. During the spring semester, half a dozen presentations on individual topics including profile distribution, whole-disk encryption, and domain joining macOS systems will be offered. These sessions, in combination with those held previously on securing Windows systems, provide a comprehensive framework to help departments and colleges comply with the standards described in Secure UD Essentials.
CrashPlan pilot
IT-CS&S is conducting a pilot program on backing up administrative laptops with CrashPlan. CrashPlan encrypts backups on the local machine and transports them to the vendor’s cloud-based storage. All encryption keys are kept on a local dedicated server accessible only to UD personnel. This model minimizes risk of data compromise. The software is being rolled out to departmental laptops managed by IT-CS&S in combination with whole-disk encryption.
