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Secure Application Development and Administration Policy

Policy Number:
ISO-1300
Effective Date:
May 7, 2019
Last Revised Date:
December 1, 2021
Last Reviewed Date:
October 9, 2026
Applies To:
Classified Staff, Appointed Personnel, University Staff, Students
Responsible Unit(s):
Information Security Office
Responsible Unit Email(s):
security@arizona.edu
Status:
Active

Purpose and Summary

This Policy ensures software development is based on industry best practices, meets the University of Arizona (University) regulatory requirements, and incorporates information security throughout the software development life cycle.

Scope

This Policy applies to all University-Related Persons, as well as all Information Systems and Information Resources owned or operated by or on behalf of the University. 

Definitions

Application means a software program hosted by an Information System.

Information Owner means the individual(s) or Unit with operational authority for specified University Information and responsibility for establishing the controls for its generation, collection, processing, dissemination, and disposal. Such individual(s) or Unit is responsible for making risk tolerance decisions related to University Information on behalf of the University and is organizationally responsible for any loss associated with a realized information security risk scenario.

Information Resource Owner means the Information Owners and Information System Owners.​

Information Resources means University Information and related resources, such as equipment, devices, software, and other information technology.

Information System means a major application or general support system for storing, processing, or transmitting University Information. An Information System may contain multiple subsystems. Subsystems typically fall under the same management authority as the parent Information System. Additionally, an Information System and its constituent subsystems generally have the same function or mission objective, essentially the same operating characteristics, the same security needs, and reside in the same general operating environment.

Information System Owner means the individual(s) or Unit responsible for the overall procurement, development, integration, modification, and operation and maintenance of an Information System. Such individual(s) or Unit is responsible for making risk tolerance decisions related to Information Systems on behalf of the University and is organizationally responsible for the loss, limited by the bounds of the Information System, associated with a realized information security risk scenario.

Unit means any University college, school, department, school, program, or other operating Unit.

University Information means any communication or representation of knowledge, such as facts, data, or opinions, recorded in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual, owned or controlled by or on behalf of the University.

University-Related Persons means any University students and applicants for admission, University employees and applicants for employment, Designated Campus Colleagues (DCCs), alumni, retirees, temporary employees of agencies who are assigned to work for the University, and third-party contractors engaged by the University and their agents and employees.

Policy

  1. All Classifications of University Information
    1. The ISO must produce and maintain a listing of the minimum standards, as defined in the University Application Security Standard, that must be applied to the development, administration, and maintenance of applications that participate in the storage, processing, or transmission of University Information and those applications where exploitation of vulnerabilities of the application may lead to unauthorized access to University Information.
    2. Information Resource Owners responsible for the development, administration, and maintenance of applications that participate in the storage, processing, or transmission of University Information must ensure the implementation of processes and procedures that provide assurance of compliance with the minimum standards produced by the ISO.
  2. Tracking, Measuring, and Reporting

    1. The Information Security Office must develop, test, review, maintain, and communicate a representation of the University’s information security practices to University leadership. 

    2. The Information Security Office is authorized to track compliance of this Policy and produce reports of compliance measures to support University decision making.

    3. Academic and administrative Unit leaders are responsible for implementing and ensuring compliance with this Policy within their respective areas. 

      1. Upon request, academic and administrative Unit leaders are responsible for providing the Information Security Office with information necessary to assess and report on compliance. 

      2. Specific responsibilities may be delegated to designees; however, overall accountability for University Information Resources, information security risk, and compliance remains with academic and administrative Unit leaders.   

  3. Recourse for Noncompliance

    1. The Information Security Office is authorized to limit network access for individuals or Units not in compliance with all University information security policies and related procedures. 

    2. In cases where University resources are actively threatened, the Chief Information Security Officer must act in the best interest of the University by securing the resources in a manner consistent with the Information Security Incident Response Plan. 

      1. In an urgent situation requiring immediate action, the Chief Information Security Officer is authorized to disconnect affected individuals or Units from the network. 

    3. In cases where University-Related Persons violate this Policy, the University may apply appropriate employee sanctions or administrative actions, in accordance with relevant administrative, academic, and employment policies. 

  4. Exceptions

    1. Any requests for exceptions to any information security policies must be submitted to the Chief Information Security Officer for review and approval pursuant to the Information Security Office Policy Exception Request Procedure. 

  5. Frequency of Policy Review

    1. The Chief Information Security Officer must review information security policies and procedures at least annually. This Policy may be revised based on these reviews.

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