A new phishing filter in your inbox and signing into your Radboud account using both your password and a security code – these are just two measures that Radboud University is taking to improve information security. Further visible and invisible measures will also be implemented in the near future.
Information security policies and procedures continuing to evolve
Information security is crucial for protecting sensitive data, ensuring the privacy of students and staff and maintaining the integrity of research data. ‘As an employee, you may have access to students' personal data, financial data, research results or other confidential information,’ explains Björn Steen, Information Security programme manager at Radboud University. ‘So we need to be aware of how we store this data, who is authorised to access it and whether this type of information should be shared by email.’
Policies and procedures
In recent months, many efforts have been made to improve information security policies and procedures. For example, more and more of the University's systems require multi-factor authentication, which means signing in with just a password is no longer enough. We have also been reviewing who has access to what information. ‘By developing policies and procedures where these did not already exist, we have created more clarity about how to work safely. So you don’t need to spend as much time looking for the right working practices, who to contact, who is responsible for what, etc.,’ says Björn. ‘And if something does go wrong, you need to know where to report it so that the impact on education and research is kept to a minimum.’
Collaboration
This policy was developed in collaboration with a wide range of Radboud University employees, who contributed ideas and feedback about the policy. ‘One of the biggest challenges was to find a way of working that suited the unique character of each department,’ says Björn. ‘The goal is to ensure that the changes are implemented as seamlessly as possible and that employees are aware of their role in information security. We understand that change can sometimes be challenging, but we are here to answer any questions, provide support and work together to make our organisation stronger and more secure for everyone.’
Contact information
Want to learn more about the IS programme or any of the supporting activities? Take a look at the project page or send an email to bjorn.steen [at] ru.nl (bjorn[dot]steen[at]ru[dot]nl).
- Organizational unit
- Information & Library Services
