Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) Policy statement
Technology is an integral part of how the university carries
out its mission. The university must be prepared to evaluate unwanted technical
events effectively and to respond appropriately when security incidents are
identified. Preparation and planning for an incident and ensuring that the
right resources are available is vital to the university's ability to further
prevent, detect, respond and recover from information technology security
incidents.
(B) Purpose
This policy defines adverse technology events and incidents and
identifies their respective security response requirements.
(C) Scope
This policy applies to all university organizational
units.
(D) Definitions
(1) Adverse event. Any observable occurrence
with a negative consequence or impact to the confidentiality, integrity, or
availability of a technology asset, system, or network. Examples of adverse
events include system crashes, network packet floods, unauthorized use of
system privileges, unexplained alteration of data, missing or unaccounted-for
computing equipment, or other unexplained harmful or unwanted
activity.
(2) Incident. A suspected
or identified adverse event or group of adverse events, which if confirmed has
or had significant potential to negatively impact the confidentiality,
integrity, or availability of sensitive data or university technology assets.
An incident may also be an identified violation or imminent threat of violation
of a university policy. Some examples of possible information technology
security incidents include:
(a) Loss of
confidentiality of information;
(b)
Compromise of integrity of information;
(c) Loss of system availability or denial of
service;
(d) Loss or theft of a
technology asset;
(e) Unauthorized
damage to, or destruction of, a technology asset;
(f) Unauthorized execution of, or damage to
systems by, malicious code, such as viruses, trojan horses or hacking
tools;
(g) Compromise of
authentication data or username and password credentials;
(h) Use of university technology assets in
violation of state or federal law.
(3) Incidents are categorized into two
classes:
(a) Major incidents. Major incidents
are those incidents that pose a material threat to the security of sensitive
data, based on a risk analysis or other predetermined criteria.
(b) Minor incidents. Minor incidents are
those incidents that do not rise to the severity of a major incident, based on
a risk analysis or predetermined criteria.
(4) Incident response. A structured and
organized response to any information technology security adverse event or
incident that threatens an organization's system assets, including systems,
networks and telecommunications systems.
(5) Incident response team. A group of
professionals within an organization empowered to respond to identified
information technology security incidents.
(6) Sensitive data. Sensitive data is data
for which the university has an obligation to maintain confidentiality,
integrity, or availability.
(E) Policy.
The university maintains an information technology security
incident response capability. This capability provides the ability to detect
and respond to adverse events, determines if an adverse event has become an
incident, determines the severity of the incident, and identifies the
individuals responsible for determining how the incident is to be handled. The
university's incident response capability shall include, but not limited to,
the following:
(1) Adverse events.
(a) Incident reporting procedures. The
information security office develops and maintains procedures for the reporting
of adverse technology events through established channels. Absent a specific
directive, adverse events may be reported through any of the incident response
team organizations identified in this policy, as the situation demands.
Following the initial report of an adverse event, the university organization
that receives notification of a potential incident must notify the information
security office of the event.
(b)
Incident response procedures. The information security office must develop and
maintain procedures to evaluate and determine if an adverse event has become an
incident.
(2) Minor
incidents. All identified incidents must adhere to these general requirements:
(a) Documentation. Upon being reported to the
information security office, facts which constitute a minor incident must be
documented within a reasonable time, and updated on a reasonable basis
thereafter until closed with the determination that no material threat to
sensitive data exists.
(b)
Investigation. Upon discovering an incident, the information security office
must make a reasonable effort to determine the scope and extent of the incident
and potential threat to the security of sensitive data. In the event of an
incident or alleged breach, the university has the authority to investigate and
identify any data involved involving the relevant devices and workstations, and
to the extent possible, fulfill the university's obligations to mitigate the
effects of the incident. Use of the university network constitutes consent to
provide access to a device in this regard, including making the equipment
available to analysis and investigation by university personnel.
(c) Management notification. Where
applicable, documented security incidents must be reported to appropriate
management authorities within a reasonable time.
(d) Response and
remediation. To the extent possible, the causes and effects of minor incidents
must be identified and addressed by the information security office.
(e)
Escalation. If upon investigation a minor incident is determined to constitute
a material threat to sensitive data, the incident may be escalated and handled
under the major incident requirements of this policy.
(3)
Major incidents. In addition to the requirements of minor incidents, major
incidents must comply with the following requirements:
(a) Incident response team. The response to
major incidents is ordinated by a flexible, situation-based, ad hoc committee.
The university incident response team may be comprised of staff from the
following university units:
Permanent members (must be notified of any major incident
regardless of the relative level of involvement with responding to a particular
matter):
(i) Information security
office
Under the vice president, chief information officer/chief
technology officer "CIO/CTO", the information security office leads the fact
gathering and technical investigation of major incidents, and reports progress
to the incident response team members and to executive leadership. The vice
president, CIO/CTO serves as the senior executive interface for the technology
incident response function.
(ii) Privacy office
Under internal audit and compliance, the privacy office
provides coordination of major incident investigation functions across
organizational lines, identifies applicable privacy concerns, monitors the
progress of the investigation, and handles routine communications with
regulatory bodies. This coordination is intended to enable the controlled
sharing of information and the prevention of cross-purpose actions.
(iii) Office of legal affairs
The office of legal affairs serves as legal counsel to the
incident response team and ensuring that the university establishes its
response in a defensible manner.
(iv) Risk management
Under the office of legal affairs, the risk management
administrator coordinates the relationship with the university's
insurers.
(v) Ad hoc
members may include any necessary resources, such as a vice president or
designee with responsibility for a university organizational unit, or
authorized third parties, including:
(a)
Information technology;
(b)
Internal audit and compliance;
(c)
Human resources;
(d) Marketing and
communications;
(e) University of
Toledo police department;
(f)
Outside legal counsel upon recommendation of the university office of legal
affairs and upon approval of the Ohio attorney general's office; and
(g) Outside experts (to the extent
necessary);
(b) Response and remediation. The causes and
effects of major incidents must be addressed under the direction of the
incident response team assembled for the incident.
(c) Documentation. The incident response
team's actions in response to an identified security incident must be
documented and retained for the period proscribed by the office of legal
affairs.
