Vericept Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is data leakage?
Data leakage is the unauthorized or inappropriate transmission of data or information from within an organization to an external destination or recipient.
2. What is Vericept?
Vericept is a network-based data loss prevention system. The software monitors electronic data as it is leaving the UC Denver network and alerts IT Services when sensitive or protected data is not being properly encrypted.
3. What kind of data is Vericept looking for?
Vericept checks for data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers and protected health information (PHI). It will raise a flag when these types of data leave the University unencrypted. Encrypted data will be ignored, as these transmissions are compliant with UCD policy.
4. If I have to send private data outside of the UC Denver affiliate network, how should I send that data?
Email messages containing private data should be encrypted using the UCDenver IronPort/Safemail system. Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) should be used in place of FTP when sending (or receiving) files that contain private data.
5. How can I ensure that my credit card transactions on the Internet are secure?
Web sites that are encrypting the data that you enter or view through your web browser use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure), rather than the standard HTTP. You can check the lower right-hand corner of your browser to see if the web site that you are currenlty connected to is secure and encrypted. A small closed padlock icon will appear when the connection is encrypted. You should always make sure that you see that "closed padlock" icon when you are entering private data (like credit card numbers or social security numbers) into a web-based form.
6. What kind of traffic does Vericept monitor?
Email (including webmail), Instant Messaging, FTP and HTTP traffic will all be checked for private or sensitive content.
7. Will Vericept slow down my network connection?
No, Vericept passively monitors network traffic and will be transparent to users within the UC Denver network.
8. Will Vericept monitor my Internet habits and which websites I visit?
Vericept will be used to monitor and protect UC Denver's private data from inadvertent leakage or loss.
9. How will UC Denver benefit from using Vericept?
Vericept will help reduce the number of security incidents affecting things like patient records, social security numbers and credit card information. Vericept will also be used to help educate UC Denver employees and students regarding where and how sensitive data is being lost.
10. Will Vericept change the way I use the campus network?
No, Vericept only catches sensitive data that is being leaked to the Internet through unencrypted channels. It will not affect your normal daily use of the network.
11. What happens if Vericept flags something that I did?
You will be contacted by email and/or phone by the IT Security Operations Group and informed of the data leakage incident. The security group will walk you through alternative methods that you can use to ensure that your sensitive or protected data is properly encrypted when it you have to send it to somebody outside of the UC Denver affiliate network.
12. What if I have additional questions concerning Vericept?
Please feel free to contact us.