Cybersecurity mandate for all UC Santa Cruz faculty and staff

Information security threats are more sophisticated than ever, putting both the university and your personal information at risk. 

That’s why University of California leadership has mandated a systemwide effort to strengthen information security practices at UC campuses. These requirements apply to all UC Santa Cruz employees—including faculty, staff, and contract employees.

Every UC campus, including UC Santa Cruz, must meet the mandate by May 28, 2025. If we are not in full compliance, our campus will be subject to financial penalties from the UC System. 

Requirements for UC Santa Cruz employees

1. Complete required cybersecurity awareness training by May 28

One of the most important requirements that applies to all UC employees is to ensure that you have completed annual cybersecurity awareness training. You will receive email reminders to complete the training, and can confirm your current status in the UC Learning Center (login required). The training takes approximately 35 minutes to complete. Please confirm that you, and employees that you manage, have completed this training before May 28. 

2. Learn more about how to connect devices securely before May 28

A change you may be less familiar with is the need for devices to connect securely to university data and systems starting on May 28. With the enforcement of new security standards, you may need to take action to continue to access UC Santa Cruz systems. Devices that do not meet these standards may be blocked from accessing systems or disconnected from the network.

• All devices used to access UC Santa Cruz data and resources must comply with UC security control standards. This includes using multi-factor authentication, running an up-to-date operating system, and having an active firewall and antivirus software.
  
• Some UC Santa Cruz systems require enhanced security measures. Learn more about Verified Access—what it is, when it’s needed, and how to set it up. Note that ITS-Managed Computers are automatically configured to meet these requirements.

Resources

• Guide: Cybersecurity for Employees
• Guide: Verified Access
• Project: Information Security Investment Plan (ISIP) 

Need support? 

Try searching the Knowledge Base or contact the IT Service Desk (login required).