Faculty and staff who use either personal or university-owned mobile devices such as smart phones or tablets to access university email, calendars or other information were prompted this week to enter a four-digit passcode before being allowed access.
The security procedures were put into place for faculty and staff with accounts on the Exchange server effective Feb. 1. The change is designed to improve security of university information, according to Greg Williams, security principal, Information Technology.
Faculty and staff were encouraged to use a password other than that used to access university computing services. Passcodes will be required after 15 minutes of inactivity.
Any questions about the policy or its implementation should be directed to the IT Help Desk, 255-3536 or [email protected].
See the memo from IT below.
Dear UCCS Faculty and Staff,
The use of mobile devices has skyrocketed within the last year and integration with Exchange has enabled us to access more information than ever. This has become a majority security concern for the University. On February 1st, 2012 all mobile devices will be required to have a 4 digit pin code in order to sync Exchange email, calendars, or contacts. This setting will automatically be pushed to your mobile device if it is configured to receive University email. This change has already been communicated to everyone currently syncing their mobile device with UCCS email, however, we wanted to notify the rest of the campus as more devices are added daily.
What does this mean for me?
Your mobile device(s) will be required to have a 4 digit pin in order to sync with the Exchange server. This setting will be automatically pushed to your device upon initial configuration.
Important information related to the security policy:
A message will appear on your mobile device asking for you to set a minimum of 4 digit pin or 4 letter password
Do not use your University password.
If you have multiple mobile devices, each device will be prompted to enter a PIN.
You cannot disable the password or PIN unless your remove your UCCS email account from your device
The maximum timeout before the device locks is 15 minutes of inactivity
FAQs:
What if I already have a PIN enabled on my device? Your existing PIN or passcode will not be modified and you can continue to use that. Some devices offer Pattern Locking where you swipe your finger in a certain pattern to unlock, this is not supported and you will be required to change to a PIN or passcode.
Why is this security policy being implemented on my personal device? University information must be secured on any device on which it resides. Please remember that we are all guardians of University data and are responsible for securing information by not sharing passwords or leaving information in non-secure environments.
Do I have a choice on if this policy is set on my mobile device? Yes, the password or PIN is only required if you want to receive University email and calendar events on your mobile devices. Remember, if your device is web accessible you may access University email and calendar items through Outlook Web App at https://exchange.uccs.edu Outlook Web App does not store mail locally on your device and requires your UCCS password to sign in, so it is secure without the need for an additional policy.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us.
Thank You,
UCCS IT Help Desk
www.uccs.edu/helpdesk
719-255-3536
[email protected]
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