Information Security / Protect Your Research / Secure Your EnvironmentMeeting Security Requirements for Grants and Data Sharing
Many applications for project funding or use of external data require attestations of security controls in place to protect the research.
To aid researchers in establishing environments, Northwestern IT has produced a Data Security Plan Template. This template steps researchers through some of the most common security requirements of grants and data sharing agreements, including inventories, data flow diagrams, and explanation of existing security controls.
Completion of a Data Security Plan aids researchers in uncovering risks in their environment and can help improve the security of research data by suggesting implementation of additional controls. The completed document can also serve as a reference from which most grant and data sharing application questions can be answered and to aid in disaster recovery planning. Contact your local IT support for assistance in completion of this form. You may also be asked to complete this form as part of a Federal Regulation Compliance Assessment.