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Information Security Standards

As provided under the Information Systems Policy (SC14), the following mandatory cybersecurity rules have been issued as the Information Security Standards (“Standards”).

This page provides a current copy of the Standards for reference and operational use. The official, authoritative version is published in UBC's policy repository, as set out in the Regulatory Framework Policy (GA2).

All Users of UBC Electronic Information and Systems are responsible and accountable for complying with these Standards.

The Standards are divided into two categories: User Standards (prefixed with a 'U') and Management and Technical Standards (prefixed with an 'M'). They are linked in the tables below, along with resources and links to assist Users with compliance.

Types of Resources (click to expand)

To learn more about the application of these Standards and how specific audiences should approach them, see the Roles & Responsibilities:

Roles & Responsibilities (click to expand)

Below are the roles of individuals involved in the implementation of UBC's Information Security Standards:

Role	Responsibilities	Delegation of Responsibilities
Chief Information Officer (CIO)	Has overall responsibility for the Information Security Standards, as set out in Policy SC14, section 3.	May delegate responsibilities to Associate Director, Information Security Management
Administrative Head of Unit	Ultimately responsible and accountable for establishing and maintaining UBC Electronic Information and Systems within their areas of responsibility, as set out in Policy SC14, section 6. All Administrative Heads of Unit should understand what Standards exist, and take the necessary steps to delegate responsibility to the appropriate individuals for implementation.	While always remaining accountable, may delegate responsibilities to Information Stewards/Owners, University IT Support Staff, and other individuals where appropriate.
Information Steward/Owner	Appointed by an Administrative Head of Unit to be responsible for a specified UBC System, database or collection of UBC Electronic Information. Determines: the appropriate classification of this information (see the Security Classification of UBC Electronic Information and Services standard); how the information may be used; who is authorized to access the information; where the information may be stored; what security measures must be used to protect the information; and how to comply with any statutory or regulatory obligations that apply to the information.	n/a
Technical Owner	Ultimately responsible for providing a system’s service/functionality to the campus. Often the Technical Owner is a manager or director. The Technical Owner is responsible for ensuring that operating procedures are developed that meet the policies, information security standards and guidelines as defined by the University.	n/a
University IT Support Staff	Assists the Administrative Head of Unit or delegate to implement Information Security Standards. All University IT Support Staff should read and take responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Management and Technical Standards, in addition to their personal responsibility for the User Standards and providing assistance for Users in meeting the User Standards as necessary.	n/a
User	Uses or accesses UBC Electronic Information and Systems. Must comply with all Information Security Standards relevant for Users. All faculty and staff should read and take personal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the User Standards.	n/a

For more information about the Standards, see our Frequently Asked Questions. For a complete list of definitions of the dotted underlined terms used in the Standards, see the Glossary.

A single page containing all the Information Security Standards is also available:
View all standards

Std #	Legacy Std #	Standard	Last Revised
Standards for All Users
U1	#1	Security Classification of UBC Electronic Information and Services Resources	2026-03
U2	#2	Passphrase and Password Protection Resources	2025-03
U3	#3	Transmission and Sharing of UBC Electronic Information Resources	2025-03
U4	#4	Reporting Cybersecurity Incidents Resources	2025-03
U5	#5	Encryption Requirements Resources	2025-03
U6	#6	Working Remotely Resources	2023-10
U7	#7	Securing Computing and Mobile Storage Devices/Media Resources	2026-01
U8	#8	Destruction of UBC Electronic Information Resources	2022-01
U9	#9	Outsourcing and Service Provider Management Resources	2025-03
U10	#10	Accessing Electronic Accounts of Other Users Resources	2024-03
U11	n/a	Securing Internet of Things (IoT) Devices Resources	2026-01
U12	n/a	Restricted Software and Services Resources	2025-03
Management and Technical Standards
M1	#21	Requesting Variances Resources	2025-03
M2	#11	User Account Management	2021-01
M3	#12	Privileged Account Management Resources	2025-03
M4	#13	Securing User Accounts	2026-01
M5	#14	Vulnerability Management Resources	2026-01
M6	#15	Security of Wi-Fi Infrastructure	2021-01
M7	#16	Cryptographic Controls Resources	2026-01
M8	#17	Logging and Monitoring of UBC Systems	2025-03
M9	#18	Physical Security of UBC Data Centres	2021-01
M10	#19	Security Architecture and Firewalls (formerly Internet-facing Systems) Resources	2026-01
M11	#20	Development and Modification of Software Applications Resources	2025-03

Feedback

The Standards are subject to periodic reviews to adapt to changing expectations and risks. We encourage you to provide feedback by email to privacy.matters@ubc.ca.

Policy, Standards & Resources

Information Security Standards

Types of Resources (click to expand)

Roles & Responsibilities (click to expand)

Standards for All Users

Resources

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Management and Technical Standards

Resources

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Feedback

Office of the CIO

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