Last month, I presented at the EDUCAUSE annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, with two of my Office of Information Security (OIS) colleagues—David Puzder and Madeline Quigley. Our talk, “Encouraging Security Culture through a Participatory Policy Project” focused on the OIS’ multi-year policy revision project. Specifically, we wanted to tell the EDUCAUSE audience about 1) […]
Author: Christina Pomianek-Smith
Security Guidance for Automatic Transcription Services
Many WashU community members create audio and video recordings in research, during meetings, while attending lectures, and in other circumstances. These recordings can be indispensable to a project because they document what was said with perfect fidelity for future reference and analysis. A transcript of the recording is even more helpful, making it easy to […]
InfoSec Allies: Craig Pohl, Senior Director of Research Infrastructure Services
WashU researchers must persevere through myriad challenges in the quest for knowledge. Among these challenges is developing a comprehensive security plan for their data, applications, and research results. Increasingly, research sponsors require these plans as a condition of funding. Our researchers are pioneers, bringing their expertise to the frontiers of discovery, but they aren’t always […]
Security Resources for Faculty and Researchers
The Office of Information Security (OIS) supports WashU’s mission of excellence in teaching, research, and patient care by assessing the security of the tools our community uses every day to do our work. Faculty and researchers often have specific needs for secure storage and communication services and unique needs for tools that aid student engagement, […]
InfoSec Ally: University Registrar, Keri Disch
University Registrar Keri Disch is serious about securing student data in the digital era. Disch moved to St. Louis in July 2020 to join the WashU community after twenty years at Northwestern University, where she first became interested in central registrar work. The University Registrar serves as a central hub for many university functions. Her […]
Wonderful OneTrust
The Information Security Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) team, led by Assistant Director, Denise Woodward, handles many types of security-related requests from the WashU community. When researchers need a security review of the tools they’re using for a study, when a department wants to adopt new technology, or when someone requires a specialized solution for […]
Top Ten Travel Tips for Better Information Security
Many in the WashU community will travel this summer, visiting friends and family, taking vacations, attending classes and summer programs, staking out new study abroad opportunities, conducting research, or meeting with colleagues. The long days of summer ahead provide time to rest, relax, and recharge while also renewing professional and academic pursuits through research, collaboration, […]
InfoSec Allies: Office of Resource Management
The Office of Resource Management (ORM) plays an essential part in our day-to-day lives and operations at WashU. The office, home to more than 20 staff members, encompasses the departments of Purchasing Services, Furniture and Design, and Supplier Diversity and Mail Services. People from every department and role in the university community interact with the […]
Cybersecurity and the Supply Chain
You’ve undoubtedly heard the term “supply chain disruption” more times than you can count lately. The past few years have been fraught with disruptions—labor shortages caused by COVID-19, warfare, tropical storms and wildfires, factory fires, railroad transportation disruptions, and the six-day blockage of the Suez Canal. We’ve endured incredible upheavals, and many of these ultimately […]
Security Spring Cleaning Top Five
Spring has arrived, and with it, the age-old tradition of spring cleaning. Getting organized, cleaning up your computer, and checking on your security hygiene will make your life easier as you approach the end-of-semester push toward summer adventures! As you clear away the cobwebs and shake off the dust of winter, also remember to clean […]
10 Security Tips for Spring-Break Travelers
Spring Break is on the horizon, and many in the WashU community plan to travel for conferences, study away, research opportunities, and maybe even a little rest and relaxation! Smartphones and other digital devices are an integral part of our everyday lives, and they can make travel seem like a blissful dream. Helpful capabilities—your digital […]
Threats to Your Research Data and Intellectual Property
Your research data and intellectual property are valuable, not only in the pursuit of knowledge for the betterment of society but also to cybercriminals who seek to steal it or hold it for ransom. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation , intellectual property theft is a growing threat in the digital era, and much […]
Protecting the World’s Most Valuable Resource
The refrain “knowledge is power” has been repeated around the world for centuries, from ancient Sanskrit proverbs to the theme song of the animated American educational series, School House Rock. The pursuit of knowledge is central to our university mission. The objective—use knowledge to empower individuals and communities for the betterment of society. Knowledge can […]