Data protection is the most important aspect of information security. If your data is not secure, it's not your data; anyone can get access to it and manipulate it to their own ends, including stealing your identity and your money.

Because information is stored in many forms, securing confidential and/or personally identifiable information (PII) includes protecting it when it's on screen, when it's in storage, and when you dispose of it. If such information leaks, there are serious consequences for both the individuals concerned and the University. The law requires that HSU and its employees, consultants, and independent contractors maintain the confidentiality, security, and integrity of PII, including:

• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Date of birth
• Home address and telephone number
• Academic performance record
• Personal financial data
• Physical description
• Medical history
• Disciplinary history
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Religious preference

Even public records must be protected to ensure that they are not modified, tampered with, or otherwise used in an unauthorized manner.

Read a summary of the HSU guidelines regarding the protection of confidential information.