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Do I Really Need a Computer Use Policy?

For most organizations, regardless of size, purpose or volume, the answer is YES! Computer use policies are an easy fix to what could potentially be a significant liability. As the cost of technology continues to decrease, and its proliferation in even the most non-technical environments increases, most organizations are finding a computer use policy a critical component of their policies and procedures. Why? Because the Internet opens up Pandora's box to employees - exposing them (and their organizations) to a multitude of risks including:

• Viruses
  

• Software license violation
  

• Distractions such as personal email and chat
  

• Exposure to inappropriate work place materials (such as pornography)
  

• Inappropriate use of network resources (such as downloading music/video etc.)

While protecting your organization from outside threats is clearly important, protecting the organization from internal threats is at least as important, if not more so. Without a defined computer use policy, an organization leaves it up to the employee and/or individual managers to determine what is safe and appropriate use. This also means that the organization's response to inappropriate use is not well defined, and therefore not easily enforced.

Some Statistics to Drive the Point Home
According to the 1999 Computer Crime and Security Survey conducted by the Computer Security Institute and the FBI:

• Fifty-five percent (55%) of the respondents reported unauthorized access to information by persons inside the organization, compared to just 30% who reported intrusions by outsiders.
  

• Twenty-five percent (25%) reported theft of proprietary information and 69% reported theft of laptop computers.
  

• Ninety percent (90%) reported virus contamination
  

• and a staggering ninety-seven percent (97%) reported systems abuse by insiders (pornography, pirated software, inappropriate email usage, etc.).

According to Sextracker, an organization that tracks the online pornography trade, seventy percent (70%) of online pornography viewing occurs during the 9-5 workday.

Ok, I'm Convinced - Now What?
The following are topics that should be covered or at least considered in your computer use policy:
· Physical Security · Electronic Security · Information Usage · Levels of Access · Use of Email· Data and Information Security · Trade Secrets· Voicemail · Telecommuting· Pornography · Personal Use of the Internet/Online Services · Personal Use of the Computer for Word Processing, etc. · Loading of Non-Organization Software · Downloading from the Internet/Online Services · Allowable Uses of Access · Ownership of Software, Data, etc. · Confidentiality of Organizations Records · Organization's Right to Inspect Computers · Organization's Right to Access Email · Document Retention Schedules

Even if you only cover a small portion of the topics above, consider the following when writing, formatting and implementing your policy:

• Clearly define the penalties for violating these policies - don't be too soft - or too hard.

• Keep it simple and not too technical, so that people understand what they are signing. Make sure someone is available to answer questions that may arise.

• Format the document so that the employee signs and returns the last page and retains the policy for future reference. File the employee signature sheet in their personnel record.

• Integrate the delivery of the policy into your new employee process.

• Make sure that this is seen as a top down initiative and that management not only believes in the policy, but also is willing to enforce it.

• If you have legal counsel, you may consider having them review it for legal concerns.

• Don't recreate the wheel. Lots of organizations have these policies in place. Borrow from other if possible, or purchase policies online and customize if necessary.

Given that most employees respond best to "knowing the rules by which they are playing", a clearly defined computer use policy can only help set expectations amongst employees. While even the best-crafted policies may not stop an employee bent on violating them, good policies will minimize the opportunities and minimize the organization's liability. They will also provide a clearly defined response to the violations - and when things get a little crazy, there's nothing better than that!

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We are pleased to spotlight Oak & Ivory, and welcome them to the CommuniCom family of created, hosted and maintained websites.