Protecting information at Northeastern University is a community effort, and understanding the value of privacy and protecting information through data classification ensures that we’re able stewards of the data entrusted to Northeastern.
What’s next for data privacy at Northeastern
As summer approaches, be on the lookout for new tools to help enhance privacy and to safeguard data within the Northeastern environment. In the coming weeks, faculty and staff will notice new sensitivity labels in the toolbar of most Microsoft 365 applications. This includes everyday tools such as Word, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint.
This new tool will prompt you to add sensitivity labels (based on Northeastern’s Data Classification Guideline risk levels) when scheduling meetings, saving or sharing files, and sending emails, for example.
What you can do
Now that you’ve completed the Data Privacy and Classification training, here’s what you can do to help protect data at Northeastern all year round:
- Consider how to incorporate the Northeastern Data Privacy Principles when making choices around data. As a best practice, consider creating private Teams channels or only sharing files in SharePoint with colleagues who need access.
- Put privacy at the forefront when working with information, and only use information necessary for the specific purposes it has been collected for.
- Follow Northeastern’s Record Retention guidelines and destroy information after it’s no longer necessary.
- Familiarize yourself with Northeastern’s Data Classification guidelines.
More information
For questions and to stay up to date with the latest cyber security news, visit the Office of Information Security website.