Information Technology Request

The request was partially successful.

Dear Ulster University,

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please forward responses to the attached questions below.

I would like the above information to be provided to me as an electronic document.
If this request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters. If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary.

If the release of any of this information is prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement and remind you that information should not be treated as confidential if such an agreement has not been signed.
I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Gloria Zimba.

1. Do you have a formal IT security strategy? (Please provide a link to the strategy)

A) Yes
B) No

2. Does this strategy specifically address the monitoring of network attached device configurations to identify any malicious or non-malicious change to the device configuration?

A) Yes
B) No
C) Don’t know

3. If yes to Question 2, how do you manage this identification process – is it:

A) Totally automated – all configuration changes are identified and flagged without manual intervention.
B) Semi-automated – it’s a mixture of manual processes and tools that help track and identify configuration changes.
C) Mainly manual – most elements of the identification of configuration changes are manual.

4. Have you ever encountered a situation where user services have been disrupted due to an accidental/non malicious change that had been made to a device configuration?

A) Yes
B) No
C) Don’t know

5. If a piece of malware was maliciously uploaded to a device on your network, how quickly do you think it would be identified and isolated?

A) Immediately
B) Within days
C) Within weeks
D) Not sure

6. How many devices do you have attached to your network that require monitoring?

A) Physical Servers: record number
B) PC’s & Notebooks: record number

7. Have you ever discovered devices attached to the network that you weren’t previously aware of?

A) Yes
B) No

If yes, how do you manage this identification process – is it:

A) Totally automated – all device configuration changes are identified and flagged without manual intervention.
B) Semi-automated – it’s a mixture of manual processes and tools that help track and identify unplanned device configuration changes.
C) Mainly manual – most elements of the identification of unexpected device configuration changes are manual.

8. How many physical devices (IP’s) do you have attached to your network that require monitoring for configuration vulnerabilities?

Record Number:

9. Have you suffered any external security attacks that have used malware on a network attached device to help breach your security measures?

A) Never
B) Not in the last 1-12 months
C) Not in the last 12-36 months

10. Have you ever experienced service disruption to users due to an accidental, non-malicious change being made to device configurations?

A) Never
B) Not in the last 1-12 months
C) Not in the last 12-36 months

11. When a scheduled audit takes place for the likes of PSN or Cyber Essentials, how likely are you to get significant numbers of audit fails relating to the status of the IT infrastructure?

A) Never
B) Occasionally
C) Frequently
D) Always

foi, Ulster University

Dear Gloria Zimba

 

We acknowledge receipt of your recent request under the provisions of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (ref FOIA/21/222).  Your request is
receiving attention and we hope to have a response to you no later than 17
January 2022

 

Regards

 

Azlina Cohen

 

show quoted sections

foi, Ulster University

Dear Gloria Zimba

 

RESPONSE FOIA/21/222

 

Further to your Freedom of Information request, please view Ulster
University’s response as follows –

 

1.      Do you have a formal IT security strategy? (Please provide a link
to the strategy)

The University’s Digital Strategy and related Digital Services Policies
are available on our website at
[1]https://www.ulster.ac.uk/about/governanc...

 

For the remainder of your questions, Ulster University considers that
releasing this information would be likely to prejudice our efforts to
prevent and detect future cyber attacks and undermine the ability to
safeguard the University therefore, this information is being withheld
under Section 31 (1) (a) – Law enforcement. Specifically, it is our
position that making public previously successful or unsuccessful attack
vectors, or the disclosure of information about the institution’s security
infrastructure and systems, could provide individuals or groups with
information that could aid in an attack on the institution. 

 

2.      Does this strategy specifically address the monitoring of network
attached device configurations to identify any malicious or non-malicious
change to the device configuration?

A)      Yes

B)      No

C)      Don’t know

 

3.      If yes to Question 2, how do you manage this identification
process – is it:

A)      Totally automated – all configuration changes are identified and
flagged without manual intervention.

B)      Semi-automated – it’s a mixture of manual processes and tools that
help track and identify configuration changes.

C)      Mainly manual – most elements of the identification of
configuration changes are manual.

 

4.      Have you ever encountered a situation where user services have
been disrupted due to an accidental/non malicious change that had been
made to a device configuration?

A)      Yes

B)      No

C)      Don’t know

 

5.      If a piece of malware was maliciously uploaded to a device on your
network, how quickly do you think it would be identified and isolated?

A)      Immediately

B)      Within days

C)      Within weeks

D)      Not sure

 

6.      How many devices do you have attached to your network that require
monitoring?

A)      Physical Servers: record number

B)      PC’s & Notebooks: record number

 

7.      Have you ever discovered devices attached to the network that you
weren’t previously aware of?

A)      Yes

B)      No

 

If yes, how do you manage this identification process – is it:

A)      Totally automated – all device configuration changes are
identified and flagged without manual intervention.

B)      Semi-automated – it’s a mixture of manual processes and tools that
help track and identify unplanned device configuration changes.

C)      Mainly manual – most elements of the identification of unexpected
device configuration changes are manual.

 

8.      How many physical devices (IP’s) do you have attached to your
network that require monitoring for configuration vulnerabilities?

Record Number:

 

9.      Have you suffered any external security attacks that have used
malware on a network attached device to help breach your security
measures?

A)      Never

B)      Not in the last 1-12 months

C)      Not in the last 12-36 months

 

10.     Have you ever experienced service disruption to users due to an
accidental, non-malicious change being made to device configurations?

A)      Never

B)      Not in the last 1-12 months

C)      Not in the last 12-36 months

 

11.     When a scheduled audit takes place for the likes of PSN or Cyber
Essentials, how likely are you to get significant numbers of audit fails
relating to the status of the IT infrastructure?

A)      Never

B)      Occasionally

C)      Frequently

D)      Always

 

If you are unhappy with how the University has dealt with your request you
may raise the matter under the University's internal review process for
FOI requests. Please submit written details of your appeal to Clare
Jamison, University Secretary, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA,
email at [2][email address] The University will normally
undertake to issue a decision on an appeal within 20 working days of
receipt.

 

If you do not wish to submit an appeal to the University in relation to
your request or if you are unhappy with the outcome of an appeal you may
apply to the Office of the Information Commissioner. Full particulars of
the FOI Act including the Information Commissioner's address may be found
at [3]www.ico.org.uk

 

Yours sincerely

 

Azlina Cohen

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References

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