Policy 906 - Email Policy

Section: Information Technology
Policy Number: 906
Responsible Office: Information Technology
Effective Date: 5/1/19
Revised: 5/1/19; 6/11/20; 5/23/22

Policy Statement

This policy document describes how to safeguard the provided St. John’s University (St. John’s) email service.  It applies to all users of these services, whatever the means or location of access (e.g. via mobile devices or outside of the office). 

Scope and Applicability

This policy applies to the University Community.  Adherence to this policy helps safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the St. John’s information assets, and protects the interest of St. John’s, its customers, personnel, and business partners.

Policy

Use of Email

Email is a vital business tool for communicating both internally and with customers and suppliers. However, due to its flexibility and general availability, the use of electronic messaging carries with it several significant risks and all users must remain vigilant and adopt good practice when sending and receiving messages. It is therefore imperative to minimize the attack surface and the opportunities for attackers to manipulate human behavior and conduct cyberattacks like social engineering to users interacting with web browsers and email systems.

St. John’s-provided electronic messaging facilities are used when communicating with others on official business. Personal accounts must not be used for this purpose. Guidelines on the sending of classified information via electronic messaging are always observed.

Students, faculty, administrators, staff, and contractors must not send or receive information that contains Personally Identifiable Information (PII). In addition, St. John’s blocks all electronic messages containing social security number, tax ID number, bank account information, or credit card information with Data Loss Prevention (DLP) in place.

Definitions

The following are definitions relevant to the policy:

  • Computing Resources: All St. John’s information processing resources, including all St. John’s owned, licensed, or managed computing services, hardware, and software, and use of St. John’s network via a physical or wireless connection, regardless of the ownership of the computer or device connected to the network

  • University community: Includes faculty, administrators, staff, student workers, graduate/technical assistants, alumni, interns, guests, or agents of the administration, external individuals, and organizations accessing St. John’s network services, and other authorized users

  • Data Loss Prevention (DLP): A software that detects potential data breaches/data exfiltration transmissions and prevents them by monitoring, detecting, and blocking sensitive data while in use, in motion, and at rest

  • Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Any information that can be used to identify an individual, or that could reasonably be used to identify an individual

Compliance

St. John’s reserves the right to audit networks and systems on a periodic basis to ensure compliance with this policy. Instances of noncompliance must be presented to, reviewed, and approved by the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Director of Information Security, or the equivalent officer(s).

All breaches of information security, actual or suspected, must be reported to and investigated by the CIO and the Director of Information Security.

Those who violate security policies, standards, or security procedures are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including loss of computer access and appropriate disciplinary actions as determined by St. John’s.

Related Policies, Standards or Regulations