Environment: StFX Staff or Faculty who uses network drives
Purpose: To provide further information and options for StFX network drives
Overview
The increasing popularity of cloud options like Teams and OneDrive has resulted in a decreasing reliance on our network department shared drives. As part of our continuous efforts to uphold high standards of information security, we have been conducting a thorough review of shared folder access on the StFX file server - Juno. Throughout the course of this examination, it has come to our attention that there may have been inadvertent oversights in managing certain access points for the network drives. This oversight poses a potential security risk and highlights the importance of ensuring accurate and up-to-date access control.
These oversights have resulted in discrepancies in the assigned permissions, which, while unintentional, could potentially pose a security risk. We understand that managing access rights can be intricate, especially during periods of personnel changes and evolving departmental structures. However, addressing these nuances is essential in maintaining the integrity of our information security program.
In particular, we've observed instances where former team members who have transitioned to different departments or are no longer associated with StFX still retain access to sensitive information. While accounts are closed upon departure, their access will be automatically reinstated if they return to any department within the university.
We understand that managing access rights can be challenging, especially with personnel changes and evolving departmental structures. The goal is to create an environment where our shared information remains accessible only to current and authorized individuals.
Options
Option 1. Transfer ownership to another StFX Employee
If this information is not relevant because it no longer pertains to your current role, reply to this message, providing the information about actual owners/managers currently responsible for this data.
Option 2. Review and Update the Share Permissions
If you would like to keep managing this share at your department level, take a moment to review and identify any possible discrepancies or former team members who no longer require access, and make the necessary adjustments. Instructions on managing permissions can be accessed here. The department assumes the role and risk of data management and IT takes no responsibility for any data leak.
Option 3. Transfer the access provisioning to IT Services
Alternatively if you would like your departments share permissions to be managed by IT we can take over the control access. In doing so you would still have a control over the members permitted to have access to your information, but you will no longer have the option of restricting folders to certain members.
To do so we will need lists to confirm the following:
- Share Owners (those who can request new member be added or removed)
- Read, Write and Edit Access
- Read Only Access
Going forward you can request additional employees or permission changes through the Network Drive service article. IT will remove share access when the account is closed.
Option 4. Request the Share be decommissioned
If your department or group no longer requires access to this information or has transitioned to a cloud platform, we can proceed to remove this share from our system with your approval. Network drives are backed up daily, and a reduction in unnecessary data will optimize resources by saving time and space. You can request for the share to be closed here.