4.2 Maintaining the Integrity of Information

Is the information accurate? Is it complete? How do we know?

Unless our information is accurate and complete, it's pretty much useless and it may even be dangerous. Almost all of our data is sensitive in this respect. Grades, salaries, research data, and most other records and documents must be protected from unauthorized modification or destruction. How?

• Check your work for accuracy and completeness.

• Choose good passwords, and keep them secret.

• Log out and/or lock the office when you're away from your desk.

• Don't permit another person to use your computer account.

• Use virus detection/protection software.

• Make sure you have backups (on paper, diskettes, tape, or file server).

• Control (specify, understand, document) who has access to the data that you manage. Control what kind of access they have. Can they update some or all records? Can they update only some parts of a record or all parts of a record?

• Check references when hiring.