Significance of the rules

Helsinki Business College Oy (HBC Oy) aims to offer students and staff good opportunities for using information systems and data connections.

The rules apply to HBC Oy students and staff, and to all others who have been granted the right to use the information systems and data connections. The rules also apply to other services and data networks which the user is permitted to use via HBC Oy.

The rules apply to systems requiring user identification and, where applicable, to systems which do not require user ID. All computers, information services, information systems, and devices procured by HBC Oy and connected to the data network are subject to the rules. 

The rules also apply to users’ own devices which use HBC Oy’s network.

Data security

Data security refers to the physical, technical and functional protection of devices, software, data connections and data. The aim is data confidentiality, integrity, indisputableness, access control, and availability.

Systems must be used carefully and in accordance with good practice.

Right of use 

The right to use HBC Oy’s network services comes into effect once a user has received a personal user ID and password. Once she or he has received a user ID, the user undertakes to comply with the valid instructions and rules issued by the college concerning the use of the information technology services.

The college’s information systems, data networks and methods of communication which run on these systems and networks, such as the use of e-mail, must be connected to teaching, learning, research, administration or another HBC Oy activity.

Legislation pertaining to vocational education does not guarantee students the unlimited right to use devices and internet connections free of charge. Use that is required in order to complete a degree is free of charge.

User ID and passwords

The Student Affairs Office will provide user ID and passwords to students. User ID and passwords are personal and may not be given to anyone else to use. Every user is responsible for use which takes place under his or her user ID.

The user is responsible for their own password and changing it themself. The password must be changed periodically and it should be difficult to guess.

Students’ user ID will stop working within two weeks of graduation. If a student temporarily suspends his or her studies, the user ID will be locked and re-opened once the student returns to studies. If a student decides to discontinuate their studies, their user ID will stop working within two weeks.

Printing

Compliance with copyright rules is required when printing.

Using e-mail

Students will be provided with a personal e-mail account. The e-mail must be used in accordance with good e-mail etiquette. It is not permitted to send e-mail in another person’s name. If the student graduates or permanently suspends their studies, the e-mail account will be taken out of use. 

Rights and obligations

Administrator rights

The college’s information systems administrators (persons responsible for ICT administration) are permitted to monitor and limit the use of information systems if required in order to investigate a system fault, or if there is reason to suspect misuse of the system or criminal activity. In such cases the administrator may investigate user’s files or network traffic without the user’s permission and, if necessary, to copy, move, delete or read data on the computers or network drives.

If connections are overloaded, or their use causes safety risks, the administrators may limit data traffic.

Administrator obligations

The administrators take care of system and device procurement, maintenance, updating and back-up copying, and provide functioning data connections.

The administrator must make sure that the effects of changes to be made to the systems are announced and, if necessary, to provide sufficient guidance in accordance with HBC Oy’s strategy.

Administrators are obligated to non-disclosure with regard to confidential information.

Administrators make sure that rules for using the system and related instructionsare available.

User rights

College students and staff are entitled to use HBC Oy’s information technology services for work and study-related tasks.

The students and staff may make suggestions for developing the information technology services.

A user can submit an individual, written complaint to the unit’s management or college’s

ICT administration manager if she or he is dissatisfied with the actions taken against him or herby the administrative staff.

User obligations

All users are individually responsible for common data security. In order for good working conditions to be possible, users should know their responsibilities with regard to system use, and take other system users into account. Privacy should be respected and it is not permitted to cause disruption to other users, the organisation or the information systems.  

User ID and related passwords are personal, and everyone should use their own name and user ID. Exceptions include cases in which it is permitted to use an anonymous name or a nickname, and cases wherein a course or group ID is given for a specific purpose. 

Identification and passwords relating to usage rights must be handled carefully to prevent misuse, and they may not be disclosed to anyone else.

Every user is responsible for all use which takes place under his or her user ID. HBC Oy and ICT administration staff are not responsible for damages or losses caused to users arising from the incorrect use of the information systems. The user alone is responsible for protecting and backing up his or her data. If a user accidentally receives information meant for or belonging to another person, it is forbidden to exploit, save, and distribute this information. The incident must be reported to an administrator or the relevant user.

If the computer is to be left unattended, the user should either lock the computer or log out to prevent unauthorised use of the computer.

Restrictions on use

The use of HBC Oy’s data network, information systems or user account for political, religious, ideological, or immoral activity, activity which can be deemed as contrary to good conduct, or for commercial activity unrelated to HBC Oy, is forbidden.  The use of such material and distribution of data in the system (e.g. via the WWW service) is also forbidden.

• Direct and indirect disruption is forbidden and includes, for example, disruption caused by wasting information system or data network capacity, harassing other users, and disruptive behaviour online, in discussion groups, and in news groups.
• The use or attempted use of systems requiring a personal account without a personal account, attempting to access a system using the wrong user account, and exceeding or attempting to exceed the authorisations of your own account are all forbidden.
• It is not permitted to connect your own devices to HBC’s fixed data network without permission from the ICT administration.
• It is forbidden to search for and use identified or new data security vulnerabilities.

Using and attempting to use the information systems and data networks to hack other systems is a punishable offence by law.

Misuse and its consequences

For smaller breaches, the sanctions outlined in the study guide rules will be applied. In serious cases of misuse the user will be prosecuted. Legislation, such as the Telecommunications Act (Teletoimintalaki 183/1987), Personal Data Act (Henkilötietolaki 523/1999), the Criminal Code of Finland (Rikoslaki 39/1889) and the Copyright Act (Tekijänoikeuslaki 404/1961) all contain regulations on IT use, and anyone in breach of these laws can be held liable to compensate damages.