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TOWN OF BERWICK
POLICY STATEMENT
Page 1 of 5
Policy # 5.010
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ACCEPTABLE USE
Effective Date:
12 June 2001
Revision Date:
Purpose
To provide guidelines for the proper use, management and protection of all
information technology resources within the Town of Berwick.
Objectives
1. Define the proper use of network resources
2. Outline who is authorized to grant access and approve usage
3. Define responsibilities of the System Administrator
4. Ensure users understand their rights and responsibilities
5. Define unlawful or illegal use
Scope
This policy applies to all employees, including the Mayor and Members of
Council and any other authorized persons, who use Town of Berwick
information technology resources including personal computers and peripherals.
1.0 Proper Use of Information Technology Resources
1.1 Business Purpose
The information technology resources at the Town of Berwick exist solely to
support the business purposes of the Town. In some cases it becomes difficult
to distinguish between a business purpose and a non-business purpose. The
Internet e-mail and world wide web are examples of where the business purpose
can become blurred with personal or recreational use of these resources. The
Town recognizes that strict enforcement of a business-only policy is not always
practical in these cases. It is necessary, therefore to provide guidance rather
than a strict statement of policy with regard to IT resources that fulfill purposes
other than strictly Town business. Supervisors are authorized to use their
judgement to determine if individual productivity is enhanced or reduced by the
use of resources for other than a clear business purpose. Supervisors are
required to forbid abuse of IT resources, such as misappropriation for personal
or recreational use, but are authorized to permit such use where it enhances
morale or productivity. The System Administrator is authorized and required to
report incidents of suspected or proven abuse of IT resources to the supervisor
and to report noncompliance with this policy to the Chief Administrative
Officer.
Microcomputer hardware and software are corporate assets. They are supplied
to users as tools to assist them in the completion of job responsibilities. These
tools may be withdrawn, replaced, or upgraded at the discretion of the
respective Department Head, and the Chief Administrative Officer.
NOTES:
Authority: Council
C.A.O.
Ref. Form:
Date: 12 June 2001
TOWN OF BERWICK
POLICY STATEMENT
Page 2 of 5
Policy # 5.010
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ACCEPTABLE USE
Effective Date:
12 June 2001
Revision Date:
1.2 Unacceptable Use
The following behavior / conduct is unacceptable and grounds for disciplinary
action:
-
Breaking into accounts or cracking passwords is forbidden, nor should users
share accounts.
-
Users should not assume that a file being word-readable grants them
authorization to read it.
-
The deliberate or inadvertent spread of computer viruses.
-
Copyrighted and licensed software may not be duplicated unless it is
explicitly stated. Err on the side of caution. When in doubt, DO NOT
COPY.
-
Connecting any computer, network, system or any other equipment to the
network.
-
Installing personal or non-authorized software (executable files) on your
computer and/or the network.
-
Intentionally visiting sexually explicit web sites, web sites dedicated to
prejudice and racial discrimination, and any other web sites that are
obviously contrary to socially appropriate ideals.
1.3 Corporate Data
All information, data, and programs that are generated, entered, or created by
any employee while performing their work are the property of the Town of
Berwick.
This data and/or information is not to be released to anyone outside of the Town
of Berwick without obtaining prior management approval. Where the
possibility exists that information is covered under the Freedom of Information /
Protection of Privacy Section, in the Municipal Government Act, approval of
the FOIPOP administrator is required.
2.0 Access Approval
2.1 Granting Access and Approving Usage
Any request for access to network or IT resources must be approved by the
Department Head.
3.0 System Administrator's Rights and Responsibilities
3.1 Maintaining User Areas
The System Administrator does not monitor nor read a user's files, except in
rare circumstances (such as system failure, or network maintenance.)
NOTES:
Authority: Council
C.A.O.
Ref. Form:
Date: 12 June 2001
TOWN OF BERWICK
POLICY STATEMENT
Page 3 of 5
Policy # 5.010
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ACCEPTABLE USE
Effective Date:
12 June 2001
Revision Date:
3.2 Monitoring the Use of Technology Including Internet
The System Administrator will periodically, at his/her discretion, monitor log
files and other such history files to ensure compliance with this Policy. This
would include Proxy history files detailing web sites visited by all staff.
3.3 Backups
Backups of user and system files are made nightly. Weekly backup media is
stored off-site.
3.4 System Maintenance
The System Administrator will ensure that users are reminded to update virus
signatures for the InnocuLAN virus detection software at least quarterly (and
more often where appropriate and/or necessary.)
3.5 Information Technology Strategy
As scheduled hardware and software upgrades are included in the IT Strategy,
the System Administrator, through consultation with all Departments, will
prioritize users needs, and place IT resources where most needed. This will
ensure the Town of Berwick is making the most efficient use of these
resources.
4.0 User Rights and Responsibilities
4.1 Appropriate Use of Town Resources
All information technology resources exist solely to support the business
purposes of the Town of Berwick. All hardware, software, peripherals and the
information contained therein is property of the Town of Berwick, and
therefore subject to disclosure at the discretion of an employee's Supervisor,
Department Head and / or the Chief Administrative Officer.
4.2 Access to Corporate Data
Employees must follow any corporate guidelines set out to address data
management and facilitate the sharing of data within the Town of Berwick.
Requests for access to electronic information should be directed to the
"owner" of the application which maintains that data. Users should not
attempt to access information on the network or any other computing platform
to which they have not been explicitly given access.
NOTES:
Authority: Council
C.A.O.
Ref. Form:
Date: 12 June 2001
TOWN OF BERWICK
POLICY STATEMENT
Page 4 of 5
Policy # 5.010
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ACCEPTABLE USE
Effective Date:
12 June 2001
Revision Date:
4.3 Network Drive Capacity
Drive space is limited on our network file server. Users are asked to monitor
their personal and shared directories, to ensure space is not wasted. Options
for reducing the amount of "on-line" disk space are:
a) write archival data to CD (off-line storage) or backup to tape
b) delete unnecessary data
4.4 Installation of Software
It is prohibited for users to install software of any kind onto their computer
without approval from the System Administrator. Users can copy documents
or spreadsheet files to their local computer or personal area after a virus
checker has verified that they are contaminant-free.
The Town of Berwick will make available a sufficient number of licenses for
all administrative staff, as well as Council members to install appropriate
software on their home computers in order to allow for the effective and
efficient transfer of information between staff and Council.
4.5 Passwords
You may not allow any person to use your password or to share your account
on the network, or any other application. It is your responsibility to protect
your account from unauthorized use by changing your password periodically
and using passwords that are not easily guessed. Once a generic password has
been established (such as a name), every user has the responsibility to change
it to a unique password.
Any attempt to circumvent system security, guess other passwords, or in any
way gain unauthorized access to local or network resources is forbidden. You
may not use another person's computing account, attempt to forge an account
identity, or use false account or e-mail address.
Every employee must ensure that all access to the Town network by non-
employees of the Town, using his/her equipment complies with this Policy,
otherwise the employee is deemed to have engaged in unacceptable use.
4.6 Care for Equipment
You are expected to take proper care of the equipment assigned to you. Report
any malfunction to the System Administrator immediately. Do not attempt to
move, repair, reconfigure, modify, or attach external devices to the systems.
NOTES:
Authority: Council
C.A.O.
Ref. Form:
Date: 12 June 2001
TOWN OF BERWICK
POLICY STATEMENT
Page 5 of 5
Policy # 5.010
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
ACCEPTABLE USE
Effective Date:
12 June 2001
Revision Date:
4.7 Electronic Mail Usage
Electronic mail accounts are provided for the express purpose of
communicating business related information with other employees, and
business partners of the Town. E-mail messages of a personal nature must
be identified as such, and will be permitted so long as it does not overload the
system, or receive any complaints from the recipients. The Chief
Administrative Officer will deal with any problems that may arise from the
use of electronic mail.
As with other forms of information, electronic mail is the property of the
Town of Berwick. (See Section 4.1.) As such, users should treat e-mail similar
to a memorandum or written document, not like a telephone conversation.
Once an e-mail has been sent, the sender has little control over how their
information is subsequently retained, accessed, used, or disclosed by the
recipient.
Information of a confidential nature generally should NOT be sent by e-mail.
Although internal e-mail is a highly secure environment, in the process of
operating and maintaining e-mail systems, some messages may inevitably be
read and, therefore, privacy can never be guaranteed. Internet messages pose
a much larger privacy problem, and may be monitored by anyone.
Internet Usage
In addition to the sections above that relate to Internet use, the following
policies apply:
Each user is responsible to ensure that no contaminated attachments (with .exe
or .com extension) are introduced into the network. Frequent virus scans
will minimize risks.
NOTES:
Authority: Council
C.A.O.
Ref. Form:
Date: 12 June 2001