Information Handling Resources
The Information Access & Protection (IAP) Standard provides requirements for the proper handling of information at RIT.
Information Classifications
The standard classifies information into four categories: Private, Confidential, Internal, and Public.
Private information is information that is confidential and which could be used for identity theft. Private information also has additional requirements associated with its protection (e.g., state and federal mandates). Examples include:
- Social Security Numbers (SSNs), Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs), or other national identification numbers
- Driver’s license numbers
- Financial account information (bank account numbers, checks, credit or debit card numbers), etc.
The NYS SHIELD Act expands the examples of PII as follows:
- Social security number
- Driver’s license number or non-driver identification card number
- Account number, credit, or debit card number in combination with other identifiable data
- Biometric information such as a fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image, or other unique physical representation or digital representation
- User name or email address in combination with a password or security question
Confidential information is information that is restricted to a need-to-know basis and due to legal, contractual, ethical, or other constraints may not be accessed or communicated without specific authorization. Examples include:
- Educational records governed by FERPA that are not defined as directory information (see RIT Educational Records Policy D15.0)
- Employee and student health information as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
- Faculty research or writing before publication or during the intellectual property period (see RIT Intellectual Property Policy 3.0)
- University Identification Numbers (UIDs)
- Employee Personnel information
- Management Information Designated as Confidential
- Faculty Research
- Third party information the RIT has agreed to hold confidential under contract
Internal information is restricted to RIT faculty, staff, students, alumni, contractors, volunteers, and business associates for the conduct of Institute business. Examples include online building floor plans, specific library collections, etc.
Public information may be accessed or communicated by anyone without restriction and has no special handling requirements associated with it.
To whom do the requirements apply?
This Standard applies to everyone who accesses RIT Information Resources, whether affiliated with RIT or not, from on campus or from remote locations, including but not limited to: students, faculty, staff, contractors, consultants, temporary employees, alumni, guests, and volunteers.
What are RIT Information Resources?
RIT Information Resources include but are not limited to:
- RIT-owned or leased transmission lines, networks, wireless networks, servers, exchanges, Internet connections, terminals, applications, and computers
- Information owned by RIT or used by RIT under license or contract, in any form, including but not limited to:
- Electronic media
- Portable media
- Electronic hardware
- Software
- Network communications devices
- Paper
- Personal computers, servers, wireless networks, mobile devices, and other devices not owned by RIT but intentionally connected to RIT Information Resources.
What do I have to do?
Everyone who accesses RIT Information Resources should know and understand the four classes of information at RIT and appropriate handling practices for each class. Specific roles and responsibilities are detailed in the Information Access and Protection Standard.
Additional resources
Information Disposal and Sanitization
RIT Media disposal recommendations may be found at Media Disposal Recommendations.
If the media (including a hard drive) is to be reused, the following apply:
- Private information on a laptop or desktop should be deleted securely using Microsoft Purview.
- Private information on a server (or where Microsoft Purview is not available) should be deleted using industry-standard tools and practices in the tables below.
- Confidential information should be deleted using industry-standard tools and practices in the tables below.
- Private or confidential information in encrypted form may be deleted securely using the delete button.
| Operating System | Tool |
| Windows | Eraser |
| Unix/Linux | Eraser |
| Macintosh | Eraser Pro |
| Operating System | Tool |
| Windows | Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") (single pass), Paladin |
| Unix/Linux | Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN")(single pass) |
| Macintosh | Eraser Pro, Burn, Paladin |
Recommendations forthcoming. Please contact the Information Security Office for recommendations.
NIST provides comprehensive sanitization/disposal information in NIST SP 800--88 Rev. 1, Guidelines for Media Sanitization
If you prefer to use a different tool, please contact the RIT Information Security Office.
Training
RIT employees handle or are exposed to Private and Confidential information every week. It is important to use appropriate and secure information handling practices to protect these types of information. Inadvertent loss or disclosure of Private information may result in a Notification event under the NYS Information Security Breach and Notification Act.
The RIT Information Handling course is required annually of privileged users. The course explains the different classes of information at RIT, how these types of information should be treated, and the correct means of storage, transfer, and destruction to be used. Completion of the course should provide the user with the necessary knowledge to be in compliance with the Information Access & Protection (IAP) Standard.
RIT Information Handling is available as a self-paced online class through RIT Talent Roadmap.
- Access RIT Information Handling on the RIT Talent Roadmap.
- Login with your RIT credentials.
- Open the course.
- Click the blue triangle to launch the course.
- Take the course and complete the post-course assessment.