Policy 918 - IT Risk Assessment and Management Policy

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Section: Information Technology
Policy Number: 918
Effective Date: 5/1/19
Revised: 5/1/19; 6/11/20

Policy Statement

This policy ensures that St. John’s University (St. John’s) manages the risk associated with assets, information leakage, and network vulnerabilities. It is a formal acknowledgment of the commitment of the St. John’s to risk management. The Risk Management Policy and associated plans augment the Information Security Program by proactively identifying threats and vulnerabilities, which can result in consequences (impact).

Scope and Applicability

This policy is applicable to the St. John’s Information Technology (IT) department, but its scope covers the entire University Community. Adherence to this policy helps safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of St. John’s information assets, and protects the interest of St. John’s, its customers, personnel, and business partners.

Policy

Institutional data and computing resources have appropriate security controls in place to commensurate with the resource's value to St. John’s, as determined by the results of a formal risk assessment to ensure identification and treatment of security risks using a comprehensive and methodical manner capable of producing comparable and reproducible results.

Risk management is addressed across St. John’s through a formal risk management program. It is the responsibility of the IT Department to implement and maintain the IT risk management program.

An IT risk assessment of the systems is conducted at a minimum annually either internally or by an independent contractor to assess the risk and magnitude of harm that could result from the unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of information and information systems that support the operations of St. John’s.

In support of this risk assessment process, vulnerability assessment and penetration testing are conducted bi-annually on all St. John’s systems.  

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, software, and use of the St. John’s network via physical or wireless connection regardless of the ownership of the computer or device connected to the network.
     
  • Institutional Data: All data owned or licensed by St. John’s.
     
  • 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.

Compliance

St. John’s reserves the right to audit networks and systems on a periodic basis to ensure compliance with this policy. Instances of non-compliance must be presented to, reviewed, and approved by the 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

  • 918 - IT Risk Assessment and Management Standard