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Information Security

The Office of Information Technology has provided this site to increase your awareness of security best practices, tools, and other preventive measures for securing College technology resources and personal information.

Maintaining these resources at Hocking is vital to the educational and operational missions of the College. Supporting these missions is the responsibility of all members of the College community.

Some of these resources include:

  • alerts regarding the latest relevant security threats
  • tips for protecting data and systems
  • how to report a security incident
  • information security related topics

Data Destruction & Recycling

From home, from the office, from your residence hall... computers allow people to access and use sensitive information in many ways. Social Security numbers, bank account information, credit card numbers, and medical history can be very valuable information in someone else's hands. One of the most common ways sensitive information is breached is the result of computer users not properly disposing of data when they are finished using it (i.e. getting a new computer, records on CD). Simply hitting the "delete" key does not completely remove the data from a hard drive and with the proper technique the data remnants can be easily retrieved. The goal is to ensure that no sensitive data remains on computer/server hard drives leaving the College and to ensure that equipment which is expensive to maintain is removed from campus and not redistributed to other departments.

Equipment or peripherals meeting this category may include but is not limited to:

  • Removable storage (floppy disks, USB flash drives, CDs, DVDs, External disk drives)
  • Hard Drives
  • Computers
  • Printers
  • Monitors
  • Keyboards/Mice
  • Network cabling

All peripherals can be dropped off at the OIT helpdesk or can be scheduled for pickup as necessary. Computer hard drives and other removable storage devices are sanitized utilizing software which meets the Department of Defense (DOD) standards for the removal of data. Only authorized Information Technology personnel will sanitize hard drives and removable storage.

Recycle

Do you have old equipment sitting around? Fax machines, printers, typewriters, computers, etc? Computers and peripherals are not biodegradable and can contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals. In accordance with State IT disposal laws (DAS), the College utilizes recycling best practices to help keep hazardous materials out of landfills. Our recycling service and procedure's will ensure data is securely removed from the machine and that the device is properly disposed.

Digital Copyright Safeguards - Higher Education Opportunity Act

It is the responsibility of all users of the Hocking College information technology resources to know and understand all relevant laws and policies that govern its use. For the most part, members of the Hocking community obey college policies and procedures. However, one issue that is more commonly dismissed, not only by Hocking students, but by many college and university students across the nation, is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). DMCA stands for Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Passed in 1998, the DMCA provides "limitations for service provider liability relating to material online" and specifically contains a section that stipulates a university's responsibilities as an Internet Service Provider (ISP). In other words, the DMCA tells Hocking what it can and cannot do with respect to facilitating the transfer of files. The College as a service provider can give its users the connections they need to transfer files, but if any illegal activity is detected, the College must guarantee that the transfers have ceased. The DMCA holds the College liable if illegal file transfers persist but limits the College's liability if it cooperates fully with every aspect of the law. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) and the Office of Student Affairs have implemented a layered approach to educate students on the issues surrounding the DMCA as well as measures to help enforce proper use of information technology. o Hocking College recognizes the Higher Educational Opportunity Act (HEOA)

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) was signed into law on August 14, 2008. Enforcement of the HEOA provisions formally began on July 1, 2010.

Several sections of the HEOA deal with unauthorized file sharing on campus networks, imposing three general requirements on all U.S. colleges and universities:

  1. An annual disclosure to students describing copyright law and campus policies related to violating copyright law.
  2. A plan to "effectively combat the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials" by users of its network, including "the use of one or more technology-based deterrents".
  3. A plan to "offer alternatives to illegal downloading".

Download response to HEOA

Digital Copyright Safeguards Program

The Digital Copyright Safeguard program focuses on awareness programs that cover the criteria listed within the Higher Education Opportunity Act.

Education Awareness

Hocking College is committed to educational awareness and has developed programs to help disseminate information describing copyright laws.

  • DMCA Awareness program emails student population annually
  • DMCA Awareness program emails employee population annually
  • Printed material distributed to all incoming Residence hall occupants

  • Policy and content on the Hocking and External site providing information on P2P and Copyright Acceptable use policy
    Student Code of Conduct
    Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA)
    United States Copyright Office

  • Copyright infringement and Summary of Penalties

    Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

    Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or "statutory" damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For "willful" infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys' fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.

    Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

Legal Alternatives

Visit the Legal Sources of Online Content page for a list of legitimate online services that offer free or low cost music and other forms of digital media.

Reacting to DMCA Notices

If Hocking College receives notice of alleged DMCA violation, actions are immediately expedited to further analyze, diagnose, remove, and/or block access to the alleged infringed materials. Designated Agent logs all alleged notifications with documented finding and action items.

As a result, the Office of Information Technology will forward a letter of alleged infringement to Campus Judiciaries for students or to appropriate disciplinary authority for employees, who will in turn notify the alleged individual of the complaint.

FAQs

What is the DMCA
Educause connect - DMCA

Copyright infringement
The act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

Security Resources

Security Alerts
Hocking College will never call or email you asking for your login name, password, or Social Security Number. If you receive a phone call or email asking for this information, do not provide it and immediately call the Help Desk at x6113