Computers, computer files, the e-mail system, and software are city property, intended for business use. To retain privileges of network access, each user of city information technologies is expected to meet certain responsibilities and honor certain limitations. Additional responsibilities may be associated with specific networks. Any network traffic exiting the city is subject not only to provisions of this policy, but also to the acceptable use policies of any network through which or into which it flows. Employees should immediately report any violation of this policy to their department head and the Clerk-Treasurer’s office. Questions concerning these policies should be directed to the employee’s department head and/or the Clerk-Treasurer’s office.
(A) System Security.
(1) Employees are responsible for the use of their accounts and security of their passwords. As such, an employee may not give anyone else access to his or her account, or use a city computer account assigned to another user. A user must not attempt to obtain a password for another employee’s computer account. If an employee suspects someone knows his or her password, the employee should contact the Clerk-Treasurer’s office immediately.
(2) Employees shall not use the network resources of the city to gain or attempt to gain unauthorized access to remote computers, networks, or systems, nor shall they attempt to circumvent data protection schemes or exploit security loopholes. Employees may not place on any city-owned computer system any type of information or software that gives unauthorized access to another computer account or system.
(3) Violations of this policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
(C) Software Licenses.
(1) The city purchases and licenses the use of various computer software for business purposes and does not own the copyright to the software or its related documentation. Unless authorized by the software developer, the city does not have the right to reproduce such software for use on more than one computer.
(2) Employees may only use software on multiple machines according to software license agreements. The city prohibits the illegal duplication of software and its related documentation. No licensed or unlicensed software may be installed on city computers that have not been authorized by the city.
(3) Employees should immediately report violations of this policy to their department head. City employees who make, acquire, or use unauthorized copies of computer software are violating federal copyright law and are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
(D) Data Backup. Users of personal computers are responsible for protecting their work by making regular backup copies of their work files and storing the copies in a safe location. They should set the frequency of backup based on their ability to recreate information added since the last backup.
(E) Prohibited Uses of Information Technologies Resources.
(1) Employees shall not deliberately perform acts which are wasteful of computing resources or which unfairly monopolize resources to the exclusion of others. Conduct that presents a risk to the operating integrity of the information technologies systems is strictly prohibited.
(2) Employees shall not deliberately perform acts that will impair the operation of computing equipment, peripherals, other devices, or networks. This includes, but is not limited to, tampering with components of a local area network (LAN) or the highspeed backbone network, otherwise blocking communication lines, or interfering with the operational readiness of a computer.
(3) Employees shall not install on any of the computer systems of the city, or give to another user, a program that could result in the eventual damage to a file or computer system and/or the reproduction of itself.
(4) This includes, but is not limited to, the classes of programs known as computer viruses, such as “Trojan horses” and “worms.”
(5) Violations of this policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
(Ord. 2018-16, passed 1-7-19)