IS Security Guidelines

Security 101

Information Services (IS) is responsible for over 200 machines and a variety of programs and software at New Communities (NCI). We need your help to ensure our information is secure. In order to best protect our confidential information, IS has put together a few guidelines for our NCI Administration team to practice.

Best Practices

Make sure that when you connect to a wireless connection (wifi), you are connecting to the proper network. If you are unsure if the network can be trusted, contact IS.
Do not connect to a public wifi connection (coffee shops, libraries, airports, etc.) on your NCI computer; instead try using a cellphone hotspot. Public networks are easily accessible by anyone and can open your computer to hackers.
When creating passwords use words or phrases that include a mix of upper and lower-case letters, including special characters. Avoid the use of names/numbers of your dog, family members, street address and birthday.
Keep your corporate passwords separate from your personal passwords. Avoid reusing your personal password for you company password, or vice versa.
Confidential documents and files should be stored on NCIs servers (S, H, V drives) and accessed through VPN on an NCI owned computer when not on site. Do not use personal computers for NCI work.
Be alert and check emails carefully to ensure that the message is from a valid address, do not fall prey to clicking a link to malicious web sites that load malware into your computer. If you suspect an email is SPAM or potentially harmful, contact IS to review the email before you move forward.
Many system threats are disguised as programs that can be downloaded free on the internet. Do not download any programs or software. If you suspect there is something on your system that should not be there, consult IS to make sure that your system is secure and safe.
USB drives should not be used unless instructed and provided by the IS team. Do not use personal USB drives on computers owned by NCI, and do not plug USB drives containing company information into your personal computer. Do not plug an unknown USB drive into your computer - If you find a USB drive, do not plug it into your computer to view the contents or to try to identify the owner, give it to the IS team.