• Calendar
• A-Z Index

• Yale home
• About Yale
• Academic programs
• Admissions
• Health & medicine
• Working at Yale
• Yale & New Haven
• Yale & the World
• Yale Tomorrow
• News

• Prospective students
• Students
• Parents
• Faculty
• Staff
• Alumni
• Foundations & corporations
• Patients
• Visitors

Find it

• About ITS
• Policies
• Feedback
• Search ITS
• ITS A-Z Index
• System Status

Encryption options to protect against loss or theft of portable computing devices and portable media

Overview

Media stories about loss of computing devices containing confidential or protected information are becoming all too common. Portable devices and media are easily misplaced or stolen, but exposure of the data contained on them is relatively easy to prevent. All confidential or protected information should be encrypted when stored on portable computers and media, including backup media. Data file or disk encryption is the easiest way to prevent unauthorized access.

Information that is directly related to the business of Yale University (finance & administration, HR, student affairs, legal, primary source clinical and research data) should only be encrypted using a University approved method which provides the ability for Yale to recover the data in the event of an emergency. Please be sure that you have read and understand the University Endorsed Encryption Implementation Procedure 1607 PR1 before you implement any encryption option.

The University is investigating other options for encryption, so the current recommendations may be revised in the near future. Current options:

Windows:

• Primary source (original and/or official) data must be encrypted using Yale University PGP software (using Yale ADK -Additional Encryption Keys). As of 1 September 2006 PGP software will be available from the Software Library. PGP provides both file and disk encryption.
• Secondary source data can also be encrypted using Microsoft EFS (Encrypting File System) which is bundled into the operating system. Disk encryption is not currently an option, but this functionality will be available in the near future with Microsoft Vista operating system.
  NOTE: Having a strong logon password is essential with EFS.

MacOS X:

• Primary source (original and/or official) data must be encrypted using Yale Universitys PGP software (using Yale ADK -Additional Encryption Keys). As of 1 September 2006 PGP software will be available from the Software Library. PGP provides both file and disk encryption.
• Secondary source data can also be encrypted using central file service . Disk encryption is not currently an option.
  NOTE: Having a strong logon password is essential with EFS.

If you need assistance please contact the Help Desk (203.432.9000) or your local IT support provider.

See also: Electronic Communication of Health Related Information (policy || procedure) directives reguarding encryption.