Academic conferences, research or service-learning projects are an
exciting prospect, but, it is important to understand a few
things about traveling internationally with electronic devices
before you leave.
Because laptops and other portable storage devices (i.e. PDA’s,
cell phones, USB drives, CDs/DVDs, etc.) may contain sensitive
information, all University of Idaho employees are asked to
implement precautionary measures. If your University job
function requires access to sensitive personal information
(SPI), and you need to transport that information on a mobile
computing or storage device, the University’s Information
Technology Services team can assist you with protection advice
or assistance.
For those employees traveling outside the country – including
Canada and Mexico – we recommend that you professionally delete
any Sensitive Personal Information or confidential data stored on your portable device
leaving from and returning to the country. On the whole, you
should encounter few delays; however, in some cases your
computer may be held for the duration of your visit before being
returned or it may be confiscated. Also note that the Department
of Homeland Security and U.S. border agents may obtain access to
anything on your mobile devices, including making copies of the
contents of your hard-drive or retaining your equipment or
software for detailed inspections.
The University of Idaho Administrative Procedures Manual states
that, “All users who work with sensitive personal information (a
person’s name in combination with a social security number;
driver’s license or other Idaho identification card number; or
account number, or credit or debit card number) must store such
information at all times on an ITS-managed network drive, and
shall not store any sensitive personal information on a computer
hard drive or portable storage device, unless such storage has
been authorized by ITS, and is adequately encrypted.” Other
protected information might include student grades, medical
information, etc. All faculty and staff are encouraged to review
the APM sections on computing (Chapter
30 Table of Contents - Computing and Communications and
30.12 - UI Computer Use Policy)
ITS recommends that prior to international travel you
professionally clean your hard drive of residual data.
For assistance with
protecting computers or preparing computing devices for foreign
travel, you should contact the ITS Help Desk helpdesk@uidaho.edu
or 885-HELP (4357).
|
|
