University data stored on a computer you use at home, whether the computer is owned by you or the university, is subject to the same policies as data located on campus. Per university policy, you are the custodian responsible for all Cornell data on the computer you use. See Protecting University Data for a full description of your responsibilities.
It is your responsibility to know what types of Cornell data you have on your computer at home and to take steps to protect it as outlined here and elsewhere in this security guide.
If other members of your household use the same computer, create a separate login account for your Cornell work and data, with a strong password that only you know. Use a separate login that makes it so other users on your computer cannot view or access your Cornell documents.
If you have confidential data on a computer that is located at home, or that comes home with you, that data must be encrypted. If you need to encrypt data, check with your department’s technical support staff to find out what encryption solutions are used in your department. See Protecting University Data for more about encrypting data.
Connecting to Cornell’s network from home increases the risk of data exposure or password compromise because you have to use networks that are not controlled by Cornell. To minimize these risks, you should use the Cornell Virtual Private Network (VPN) when transmitting confidential data. This will ensure that any confidential data you are working with is encrypted as it goes over the network. VPN protects your data from electronic eavesdropping.
To connect to some department and central resources from off campus, you may be required to use VPN. To find out how to install and use VPN, go to www.cit.cornell.edu/services/vpn.
Home wireless networks are easy to set up and extremely convenient to use. However, an unsecure wireless environment opens up several risks that need to be addressed:
The manuals that came with your wireless router should provide detailed information on how to secure your home wireless network.
In the News: Net connections 'hijacked by extortionist'
Most of the things discussed in this web site apply here. A very common problem with home computers is having out-of-date operating systems and browsers, as well as not having activated current firewall and anti-virus software. Take advantage of your benefit, under Cornell's site license, to install Symantec Antivirus at no charge on your home computer.
If you are working on university business on a computer at home, whether the computer is owned by you or Cornell, it must be configured as outlined in Securing Your Computer.
