Policy

IT Data Monitoring

Data Protection Notification

Many of the University’s computer systems maintain transaction and event logs, which record information about each transaction being carried out. The content of these records vary, but may contain the following information:

  • the date and time of the transaction;
  • the number of bytes transferred in the transaction;
  • the unique source and destination IP address of data packets;
  • the type of process;
  • the Universal Resource Locator (URL);
  • the login identity of the person making the transaction;
  • the source and destination address of E-mail transactions.

These logs are essential to the efficient running of IT systems and are maintained for the following reasons: capacity planning; traffic and/or transaction flow monitoring; system monitoring; transaction tracking; fault diagnoses; system security; virus detection and auditing.

Transaction logs are frequently checked by authorised personnel, however these records do not include the content of the information. In cases of security breaches, system malfunctions, the receipt of substantiated complaints from other organisations and virus or hacking attacks, these logs may be used, to trace transactions through the system to a particular PC or individual.

Internet ‘web caches’ are used to improve the retrieval times of frequently accessed web pages and store a complete copy of accessed pages for a predetermined period of time. Caches of pages are maintained at various points within the system. In some circumstances, such as the detection of virus attacks or investigations into computer abuse, authorised personnel may search the content of web caches.

Queries regarding this working practice should be addressed to the Director of IT Services.