Page 218 - Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual

3. Some software is "site licensed" and can be used on any Augusta, Georgia computer. (The
terms of various site licenses differ.) Some software is genuinely free; the author allows
everyone to use it free of charge. Before copying software, be sure what you are doing is
legal, and consult people who have full information; do not just give yourself the benefit
of the doubt.
4. License checks: If strangers show up at your computer site saying they are there to check
software licenses, you should immediately contact Information Technology and your
administrative superiors. Software licenses do not normally authorize these surprise
inspections, and there is a substantial risk that the "inspectors" are not legitimate.
K. No one shall create, install, or knowingly distribute a computer virus, "Trojan horse," or other
surreptitiously destructive program on any Augusta, Georgia computer or network facility,
regardless of whether any demonstrable harm results.
1. A virus is a hidden computer program that secretly copies itself onto users' disks, often
damaging data. A Trojan horse is a program with a hidden, destructive function, or a
program designed to trick users into revealing confidential information such as passwords.
Even when the harm done by programs of these types is not readily evident, they confuse
beginning computer users, degrade CPU performance, and waste the time of system
managers who must remove them.
L. No one without proper authorization shall modify or reconfigure the software or hardware of
any Augusta, Georgia computer or network facility.
1. Do not modify the hardware, operating system, or application software of an Augusta,
Georgia computer unless someone from Information Technology has given you
permission. The other users with whom you share the machine, and the technicians on
whom you rely for support, are expecting to find it set up exactly the way they left it.
M. Users shall not place confidential information in computers without protecting it appropriately.
The Augusta, Georgia cannot guarantee the privacy of computer files, electronic mail, or other
information stored or transmitted by computer unless special arrangements are made.
1. Ordinary electronic mail is not private. Do not use it to transmit computer passwords, credit
card numbers, or information that would be damaging if made public. Bear in mind that
some records are required by law, and by Augusta, Georgia policy, to be kept confidential.
It is also necessary to protect confidential information about employees, such as
performance evaluations. This applies not only to networked computers, but also to
computers, tapes, or disks that could be stolen; an increasing number of computer thieves
are after data rather than equipment.
2. Augusta, Georgia will normally respect your privacy but cannot guarantee it absolutely. A
normally private file can end up being read by others many ways. If a disk is damaged, a
system administrator may have to read all the damaged files and try to reconstruct them. If
email is addressed incorrectly, it may go to one or more "postmasters" who will read it and
try to correct the address. For your own protection, system administrators will often look
at unusual activity to make sure your account has not fallen victim to a "cracker." The
Georgia Open Records Act applies to information stored in computers. This act gives
citizens the right to obtain copies of public records, including any record prepared,
received, or maintained by the Augusta, Georgia in the course of its operations. Some kinds
of records are exempt; among these are medical records, confidential hiring evaluations,
trade secrets, and material whose disclosure would violate copyright laws. Moreover, the
Open Records Act is not a license to snoop; requests for information must be made through
proper administrative channels.
N. Users shall take full responsibility for messages that they transmit through Augusta, Georgia's
computers and network facilities. No one shall use Augusta, Georgia's computers to transmit
fraudulent, defamatory, harassing, obscene, or threatening messages or any communications
prohibited by law.
1. You have exactly the same responsibilities on the computer network as when using other

All Rights Reserved – As approved by the Commission on 05-07-2019 217 | P a g e