ALT Project: Security Resources
Course 1: IT Security for the End User
Oriented towards end users and staff, this course warns that despite all the security measures taken by institutions, personal information remains vulnerable at all times. Activities of highest vulnerability are covered such as:
- Creating and using passwords
- Downloading files from the Internet
- Sending or receiving e-mail messages
- Sharing files over the Internet
- Sharing personal information over the Internet
The course has two unique features. First, a unit entitled “Security Policies at Your Institution” has been created but purposefully left blank. This unit provides the opportunity for the institution to customize the course by adding institution-specific security information.
Second, the ACIT Security Committee thought an institution might make this course a requirement for end users. They also believed it was important that end users be required to acknowledge that they agreed with the stated institutional policies. A quiz on the entire course has been created that accomplishes this goal.
Recommendations for Implementation
Prior to planning any live course offerings in WebCT, including pilots, please contact your institution's WebCT Vista Institutional Administrator to ensure that the appropriate resources and support mechanisms are available.
Prior to implementation, please review each course in detail. Institutional computer use and security polices will need to be reviewed to determine which ones are appropriate to include in the customizable units of the course.
We recommend conducting a small pilot program aimed at the target audience of each course prior to full implementation. This pilot should address the following questions:
- How might this courses be best used to address campus needs?
- When is the best time for the target audience to access this course?
- How many end users be included in each course for optimal manageability?
- Should this course be a requirement?
- How should end users be enrolled in the course?
- When should end users enroll?
- Who should enroll end users?
- Who has responsibility for making decisions regarding the customizable units?
- Who will be responsible for implementing changes?
- Who has responsibility for tracking the end users' quiz results and determining if they have “passed”?