OneDrive: Keeping Your Account Secure

Overview

Microsoft OneDrive for Business (referred to at UW–Eau Claire as OneDrive – UW-Eau Claire) is a secure, cloud‑based storage service. Through our state contract, Microsoft guarantees that all data is stored on U.S.‑based servers, encrypted both in transit and at rest, and accessed only for troubleshooting or when directed by the user. Because OneDrive supports cloud‑based file storage and sharing, it is important that UW–Eau Claire faculty, staff, and students exercise care when configuring and sharing files to ensure information is protected.

Considerations

A few things to keep in mind include: 

• Data stored in the cloud can be accessed from any workstation, laptop, tablet, or mobile device with an Internet connection.
• Students, faculty, and staff may access data in many different ways, including through off‑campus connections that may not always be secure.
• UW-Eau Claire can't govern how OneDrive is being accessed by non-university computers or Internet connections.
• With OneDrive, UW-Eau Claire cannot automatically monitor how individuals set up security and file sharing. However, by request, a report can be created that analyzes and generates a spreadsheet report on files shared. 
• If a device infected with viruses or malware syncs files to OneDrive, any locally stored or synchronized data may also become compromised.

How to Use OneDrive Securely

Secure the device you are using to access OneDrive:

• Keep your operating system and software up to date. 
• Install virus and malware detection software with the latest definitions and updates.
• Enable and run a firewall.
• Do not log into your computer or device as an administrator.
• Password-protect your personal computer or device and use idle-time screen saver passwords where possible.

Use only secure network connections:

• Use the UW-Eau Claire wired network or the uwec.edu WiFi when on campus.
• Implement the FTC's best practices for using public WiFi connections.
• Implement the FTC's best practices for securing home wireless networks.

Exercise caution when sharing files:

• When you share a file using the default “Can edit” permission, the recipient can also reshare that file with others. If you want to prevent this, visit the page on enabling access requests to adjust sharing behavior.
• Pay attention when setting up sharing. It is very easy to accidentally share the wrong folder or share a folder rather than an individual file within a folder. Remember that the default for sharing is "Can edit", but it can be changed to "Can view".
• Use folders to share groups of files with others online.
• Share files with specific individuals, never with "everyone" or the "public".
• Be careful sending links to shared folders because they can often be forwarded to others to whom you did not provide access.
• Remember that once a file is shared with someone and they download it to their device, they can share it with others.
• Review sharing privileges in OneDrive on at least a quarterly basis. For more information, please see the OneDrive: How to Share Files Knowledge Base article.