Electronic Devices Connected to the Network

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Policy Number:

UW-506

Responsible Office:

Division of Information Technology (DoIT)

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

UW–Madison’s network provides the technical foundation for the conduct of its academic, research, and administrative missions. This network has largely been open to the internet over the years. Providing this open access to information technology is imperative to ensuring academic freedom at the institution.

An important part of providing this network access is ensuring that the network is secure. Recent attacks from viruses and worms and denial-of-service attacks harm the university’s ability to provide access to needed information to all members of the university community. In order to ensure continued access to information technology, a policy is needed that provides guidance to faculty, staff, students, and other authorized users regarding their network connectivity. This policy’s goal is to provide this guidance and ensure that the university network is secure and available to all.

Scope:

Applies to anyone who connects a device to a UW–Madison network by any means.

Policy:

1. Policy

   1. Devices connected to the UW–Madison network by any means must:
      1. Run up-to-date anti-virus software, when available; and
      2. Keep all operating system software, device firmware, application software, and other software current with the latest security-related patches from the vendor.
   2. In cases where it is not possible to update software or firmware, the device must be protected by other means, such as, but not limited to, a dedicated firewall or limited network access.

2. Enforcement

   1. The university reserves the right to suspend access to preserve the integrity of the network.

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:

Chief Information Officer & Vice Provost for Information Technology

Policy Manager:

Assistant Director, Cybersecurity Program and Business Services

Contact:

IT Policy Writer and Analyst, Office of CyberSecurity; IT Policy Website Link -- Sara Tate-Pederson, itpolicy@cio.wisc.edu, (608) 263-5370

Effective Date:

03-01-2004

Revised Dates:

03-01-2004

Reviewed Dates:

11/01/2019

Retrieved:

05-19-2022 14:27:51