Question HLSY-04

Have your systems and applications had a third-party security assessment completed in the past year?

Standard Guidance

EDUCAUSE provides no guidance here

Answering "NO"

State plans to have your systems and applications assessed by a third party.

Answering "YES"

Provide the results with this document (link or attached), if possible. State the date of the last completed third-party security assessment.

Reason for Question

External verification of system and application security controls are important when managing a system. Trust, but verify, is the focus of this question. HECVAT responses are taken at face value and verified within reason, in most cases. When a vendor can attest to and provide externally provided evidence supporting that attestation, it goes a long way in building trust that the vendor will appropriately protect institutional data.

Follow-Up Inquiries

Ask if there has ever been a vulnerability scan. A short lapse in external assessment validity can be understood (if there is a planned assessment), but a significant time lapse or none whatsoever is cause for elevated levels of concern.

HECVAT Pro Advice

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Implementation Tips

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FAQ

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Resources

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