Joint Statement on the Transmission of Proprietary Data via E-mail
It is the strong recommendation of the University that all members of our community who work closely with proprietary research data exercise vigilance when transmitting primary or analyzed data via e-mail. Research data collected as part of Northwestern research projects are funded by University and/or external (federal, foundation, corporate) sources and are thus the intellectual property of such sources. E-mails sent containing proprietary data could compromise the contribution of this intellectual property to the scientific record or significantly impair its potential for commercialization, risking both the reputations of the members of our research community and the rights of the University and its researchers to pursue patent and copyright protection. E-mail can be an effective and timely method for sharing information among the entire research team, but electronic communications are subject to significant risk. While these recommended practices pertain to all emails that contain sensitive data, members of the Northwestern University research community should be especially vigilant when corresponding by email with parties outside the university network environment.
Members of the research community interested in using software to encrypt or protect proprietary data are encouraged to contact the NUIT Office of Information and System Security/Compliance.
In addition, members of the Northwestern research community are encouraged to include a statement similar to the following provision in the body of the e-mail message when sending e-mails that contain sensitive data:
"This e-mail message, including any attachments, may contain confidential information and is intended solely for the personal use of the recipient(s) named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or is not responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you have received this communication in error. Please notify me immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message. Thank you."
Last updated: Jan 11 2008 5:06PM
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