IT Security
The Office of Information Technology defines and implements university wide technology, services, and policies, which span across Network & Application Security, Identity & Access Management, and IT Governance. Additional details about the IT Security program can be found on the about us page. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
Information security is a shared responsibility at the University of Mississippi. The overall success of this collective endeavor is due to the diligence of our employees, students, contractors, and all others who contribute to our academic community.
The UM IT Security program assists with this effort by providing centralized services and support for the entire University. This is possible through collaboration between all UM departments and Office of Information Technology divisions. We serve as a point of contact for IT security incidents, and act as a liaison with law enforcement, General Counsel, and Deans. We define policies, guidelines, and procedures. We monitor for signs of compromised systems, assess risks, and develop critical controls. And we aim to instill a culture of security awareness through enterprise technology, training, and communication.
Our mission is to protect the Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability of the data of all UM students and stakeholders.
Information Security Awareness Training
In accordance with the UM Information Security Awareness Training policy, annual training must be completed by all employees in EEO categories 1-5. Employees in other EEO categories and
student/graduate employees required to use a computer regularly for their job are also required to complete the training annually. The training must be completed upon hire and each fiscal year thereafter. Training for current employees (hired prior to July 1 of the current year) will be assigned each year during the month of September.Employees & supervisors should be aware of and comply with the responsibility and accountability items listed in the training policy. Employees not in EEO 1-5 (or their supervisor) should contact IT Security to request training enrollment annually.
Security Policies
The University of Mississippi offers various policies for faculty, staff, and students. This page has links to several important documents related to the IT Security program. For more on this subject, review the complete list of IT policies, and the overall UM Policy Directory, which can be searched by topic and responsible party. Please keep all policies related to information security in mind while using technology provided by the university.
- IT Appropriate Use
- Information Confidentiality / Security
- Information Security Awareness Training
- Privacy in the Electronic Environment
- Anti-Virus Protection for UM Computers
- Technology Purchases
- IT Accounts
- Identifiable Human Subject Data Security
- Records Retention
- Lost or Stolen Property
- HIPAA Policies
- GLBA Policies
Security Services
The University of Mississippi is committed to securing the information assets that are critical to its core missions. This is made possible through the collaborative effort of our community and due in large part to the various resources provided by many different departments. Links to some of these security-related internal services are provided below.
- IT Security Incident Response - to be updated
- IT Security Risk Assessment - to be updated
- IT Abuse & Phishing Reporting
- Antivirus Software
- Malware & Virus Removal - check
- VPN Services
- Hard Drive Destruction
- Office of General Counsel
- Office of Internal Audit
- University Police Department
- Records Retention by Department
- Security Awareness Training
- UM Email Encryption Service
- UM System Registry & Scanning
Security Websites
Links to several important security-related external websites are provided below. This content is not under our control and as such we are unable to make any representation about the accuracy or information contained. That said, these are trusted resources and we recommend using them to learn about the evolving topics surrounding information security.
- US-CERT.gov (Security Alerts)
- Apple.com (Product Security)
- Google.com (Safety Center)
- Microsoft.com (Security Page)
- SANS.edu (Internet Storm Center)
- StaySafeOnline.org (General Info)
- StopThinkConnect.org (Tip Sheets)
- AntiPhishing.org (Phishing Advice)
- OnGuardOnline.gov (Security Tips)
- FTC.gov (Online Privacy & Security)
- USA.gov (Identity Theft Resources)
- NIST.gov (Security Publications)
- ITS.MS.gov (MS Security Services)
- DHS.gov (Homeland Security)