Data Security Initiative

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Drexel began a data security initiative as part of a comprehensive security, privacy, and compliance program to better protect academic, medical, financial, and other sensitive personal records entrusted to the University.

Anti-virus and Security

Drexel provides Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for both Windows and MacOS devices. This software provides protection against malware including ransomware. IT deploys Defender for Endpoint to all Drexel owned computers. If you believe your device is missing Defender for Endpoint, please submit a request with IT Help Desk.

Computer Encryption

Drexel enables Microsoft BitLocker on Windows and Apple FileVault on macOS for full disk encryption. This software prevents a computer's contents from being viewed if it is lost or stolen, protecting personal and university records. IT recommends that all computers subscribe to a secure file backup service such as CrashPlan.

Smartphone and Tablet Encryption

Since July 2014, Drexel has widely deployed security and encryption settings for smartphones and tablets. The settings automatically apply when mobile devices connect to the Drexel mail servers; they enforce the use of a 6-digit PIN to unlock mobile devices, full device encryption so that email and attachments on lost or stolen devices cannot be viewed by others, and automatically relock devices that are unused for 15 minutes.

Email Encryption and Data Loss Prevention

Email leaving Drexel is scanned for sensitive data, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and university ID numbers. Beginning in fall 2014, if such content is found, each sender will be asked to review the message to ensure that all unnecessary information has been removed and that all recipients are authorized to receive the information. Such sensitive messages can only be sent after the review is confirmed and then the message is encrypted to protect the contents.

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Computer Encryption
To ensure that data is kept safe and secure, all new computers are delivered with full disk encryption enabled, and computers in use prior to the data encryption initiative will be manually encrypted by IT. This page outlines the major steps so that you can know what to expect when you are contacted by the IT professional to begin the process.
Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting & Conformance (DMARC)
Drexel has implemented DMARC, an email authentication, policy, and reporting protocol, to augment our email security initiative and efforts to combat phishing, email scams and spoofing of our domains.
Email Encryption
Emails containing sensitive information are automatically encrypted when sent to an email address on a server with lower security. Email encryption requires the recipient to use a one-time passcode, generated by Microsoft Office 365, to decrypt the message and access any included attachments.
Palo Alto Firewall
To improve its cyber defenses, Drexel University recently embarked in a multi-year project to install advanced firewalls and other state-of-the-art protection technologies made by Palo Alto. Drexel University IT operated the border firewall on select campus networks throughout 2018. If you think that you are experiencing a problem caused by the border firewall, please contact your local IT support team or the Drexel University IT Help Desk at https://drexel.edu/it/services/catalog/helpdesk/.
Password Manager
This article provides information on password managers and provides some recommended password managers.
Smartphone and Tablet Security
To ensure that sensitive information stored on mobile devices is kept safe and secure, Drexel has established security standards for devices that synchronize information with university services.