What is Spirion Data Protection Software?
North Carolina Central University’s Information Security Office (ISO) collaborates with the campus community to protect the university from and to respond to threats to our electronic information resources and computing and networking infrastructure.
Spirion (also known as Identity Finder) is a data protection scanning software tool that helps you locate sensitive data that may not be easy to find including old documents or files you may have forgotten about, and assists you to properly secure or dispose of the data, thereby, protecting sensitive information from theft and/or inappropriate use.
Protecting sensitive information is important to North Carolina Central University. NCCU’s “Data and Information Regulation” defines classification levels that requires protections from access or disclosure. Under this regulation, employees are responsible for protecting data from unauthorized disclosure, corruption or loass and ensuring they maintain data in compliance with “University Record Retention and Disposition Schedule Regulation” regarding confidential/sensitive data to include, but not limited to:
- Social Security numbers
- Bank account numbers
- Driver’s license numbers
- Debit/Credit card numbers
Where to Start
The IT Security Office strongly encourages faculty and staff to scan university owned computer to download Spirion as an important step to identity information that needs to be protected.
Important: Spirion is not 100% effective. There are many file types that store information in a way that it cannot interpret and there are limits to the search commands themselves. The tools attempt to strike a good balance between effectiveness and usability.
Features
- Available for both Windows and Mac
- In Windows, Spirion searches emails contained in Outlook, Windows Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird.
- In Mac, Spirion does not support email searching at this time.
- Aids faculty and staff in adhering to university-wide security policies.
- Simple, intuitive interface that is easy to use.
Cost
Spirion is provided at no direct cost to you or your department.
Who can get it
This service is available to high risk departmental faculty/staff only at this time.
How to get it
Contact Stacie Nixon, IT Security Professional, at x5282, or email snixon@nccu.edu with your request. You can also submit your request through Team Dynamix.
Know What You Are Responsible For
NCCU employees have access to, and are responsible for protecting, a wide variety of sensitive information. Unauthorized exposure of information such as student academic records, medical information, credit card information, and social security numbers can have a harmful effect on people's lives. Therefore, Information Security Office recommends scanning your computer for highly confidential data frequently so you can take the proper precautions.
Keeping Sensitive Data Safe
If you know that you are handling sensitive data, you need to know what steps are needed to protect it.
- . Windows encryption tool for Windows7, and Windows 10.
- . Apple Mac encryption tool for OS X lion or later. Click Here
- Encrypting office documents. Microsoft Office encryption for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access applications. Click Here
- File Locker. A secure web based file transferring service between individuals, both within and outside of the university. Safe way to securely transfer files, including restricted data to another person.
- . Microsoft OneDrive offers users a way to store, sync and share all kinds of files, with other people on the web. Click Here