Mobile devices allow us to remain accessible to our colleagues regardless of whether or not we are at our desks or even on campus. Although it is convenient to have access to Tufts email and other services on your mobile device, the convenience comes with the responsibility to protect university data. Like most institutions, Tufts is taking advantage of key features of Microsoft Exchange's ActiveSync policies which will introduce some baseline security protections. Most users will not notice any change, as they already have a password or passcode set on their devices and device encryption is enabled on many mobile devices by default.
Security Features
- If you do not already have a passcode lock on your mobile device that is at least 4 characters in length, your device will ask you to set one. This helps protect both university and personal data in the event the device is lost or stolen and will be required in order to access Tufts’ Exchange email and calendar information on your device.
- Mobile devices will compare their current settings to the Secure Mobile Device Policy every hour. Changes in the policy will appear on the device within two (2) hours. This will allow TTS to propagate changes quickly in the event of a security incident.
- If a device’s operating system (OS) is incompatible with the Secure Mobile Device Policy, the device will not be able to connect to Exchange over ActiveSync.
- While most devices in the last 3 years are encrypted by default, if the mobile device is not already encrypted, you will be required to encrypt it before you can access your Tufts email. This helps prevents someone from plugging your phone into a computer and accessing your phone’s data without your password or pin. This encryption requirement is currently being rolled out.
Adding or Remove the Policy
If you've configured your device with your Tufts Exchange (email) account, the policy will automatically be applied. You will be instructed to set up a password (aka 4 digit PIN) in order to access your Tufts email and calendar items. You may opt out of this policy at any time by removing your Tufts Exchange account from your device and using Outlook Web Access (OWA) to access your Tufts email account.
Devices Supported
- Windows - any Windows mobile device running Windows Mobile 5.0 or higher
- Apple - iPhone / iPad / iPod touch
- Google Android - phones which support ActiveSync
How To:
See the Tufts' IT Knowledgebase (ITKB) Remote Wipe an ActiveSync Device from OWA article for steps to remotely wipe a lost device.