By Scott Arkovitz
Collegiate Staff Writer
There is a new position being added to GRCC faculty called Information Security Officer. “The job entails direction of information and security programming at the college,” new Information Security Officer David Syckle said. “I’m responsible for laying out strategic plans and policy within the realm of information security.”
David Syckle, former network analyst for the college for three years, gained employment as the new information security officer at the beginning of the Fall 2011 semester, according to the GRCC faculty page.
The position was added, “Because there is a lot of room for improvements in the information security realm,” Syckle said. “It has become a high priority to the school due to high levels of identity theft and the school’s compliance with PCI Standards.” PCI Standards are a set of guidelines that the school has to follow with cardholder information on the Internet.
The new position has changed the way the IT Department functions. “There are a lot more rules to follow in our positions. I try to build security into the process of day-to-day IT jobs,” Syckle said. “My goal is to make GRCC faculty consider information security before implementation of software and not after.”
Some safety tips Syckle gives for protecting your online information are, “Always log out! Don’t leave yourself logged in and walk away from the computer, even if it’s just for a moment. Choose secure passwords, and make sure they are not too simple or obvious. When you use your email, if you don’t recognize who or where it is coming from, do not open it.”
Syckle’s ultimate goal is to “implement a nationally recognized information security framework, or set of guidelines, that schools must follow to ensure their online security.”
wow! i am honestly shocked that this position has just been created. i mean internet (or info) security is nothing new. I assumed when i started here this past fall that the system was as safe as an institution of this size and budget could be. don’t get me wrong i am proud that my school is making these strides,it just shocked me that this was not already in place. It beggs the question now; has there already been a breach in security that at least i am not aware of? Also what kind of risk am i taking using my refund card or even my raider card? I would like to say ‘good job GRCC’ for being proactive, at least i hope this is proactive and not a reaction to an incident, in this day and age it is vital that security is a top priority for faculty and students alike. thank you