News Flash

As the holiday season approaches I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the proper use of computing resources in the City.   Our aim is to keep you and the City safe as well as use our technology resources wisely.  Below are some of the common questions that arise during the holiday season and I hope this information will assist you with proper management of our resources.  Also please view the City’s security Intranet site http://citynet/intranet/cityweb/departments/it/cyber_security.aspx  and see the links below to learn more about cyber security especially during the holiday season.

1. When and how should I use the City Employee E-mail distribution list? The City Employee e-mail distribution list is a tool to efficiently notify all city employees of city wide business and events.  This list should not to be used to disseminate or advertise non-city information or events.  Messages should be approved by your department head before being sent.
   
   
2. What about Internet shopping at home or at work?
   City policy states that city computers are primarily for business use.  Keep in mind that excessive non-business use of computers could also be interpreted as an abuse of time on the job.  Weather at work or at home, you also need to be careful on the Internet this time of year.  Computer fraud and hackers actively seek personal information during the holidays.  Remember to never share your password with anyone and don’t respond to unsolicited e-mails with personal information.  Mobile devices and public Wi-Fi connections are also growing targets for identity theft.  Please use caution when using mobile devices for shopping or when sharing personal information from your mobile device.
   
   
3. What about using my personal device at work to play music and videos online?
   It seems so easy to use the Internet for work and personal entertainment.  However, our costs for City Internet bandwidth continue to rise as more employees and City processes go online.  In addition, we have installed public Wi-Fi in several locations in the City for the convenience of our citizens and stakeholders.   We continue to see high rates of growth in Internet usage. Please help keep costs down by not using the City’s network or Public Wi-Fi for personal reasons such as shopping, file downloads or online streaming of music and videos. 
   
   
4. Can I have personal files on my computer?
   It is always best to keep personal information on your own computer device. Keep in mind all computing equipment and files stored on city computers or servers are part of the City’s computer system and may be subject to freedom of information requests and other City, State or Federal policies.  Keeping personal files on city systems could result in the erasing of your personal files or releasing your information to other employees or the public.  In addition, using your city computer for personal use will leave fewer resources available for City business.

During the holiday season the IT Department will be monitoring Internet usage as usual and in addition will be paying special attention to suspicious usage or traffic spikes during the holiday season.  IT will also implement security updates as needed. 

Other available resources to keep you and your family safe:

• OnGuard Online   http://onguardonline.gov/
• StaySafe Online   http://www.staysafeonline.org/
• Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center http://msisac.cisecurity.org/
• Identity Theft  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
• US-Cert Home Computing http://www.us-cert.gov/Home-Network-Security
• Virginia Attorney General’s Computer Crimes Website http://www.ag.virginia.gov/CCSWeb