At all USG organizations, management must investigate incidents involving loss, damage, misuse of information assets, or improper dissemination of information. All USG organizations are required to report cybersecurity incidents consistent with the security reporting requirements as noted in Section 5.3 and 5.10 of the Information Technology Handbook.

Cybersecurity ¡°events¡± of interest are any questionable or suspicious activity that could threaten the security objectives for critical or sensitive data or infrastructure. They may or may not have criminal applications.

Cybersecurity ¡°incidents¡± are violations or imminent threat of violation of cybersecurity policies, acceptable use policies, or standard cybersecurity practices, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Widespread infections from virus, worms, Trojan horse or other malicious code;
• Unauthorized use of computer accounts and computer systems;
• Unauthorized, intentional or inadvertent disclosure or modification of sensitive/critical data or infrastructure;
• Intentional disruption of critical system functionality;
• Intentional or inadvertent penetration of firewall;
• Compromise of any server, including Web server defacement or database server;
• Exploitation of other weaknesses, known or unknown;
• Child pornography;
• Attempts to obtain information to commit fraud or otherwise prevent critical operations or cause danger to state or system or national security;
• Violations of state or USG security policies or standards that threaten or compromise the security objectives of state or USG data, technology, or communications systems; and,
• Any violation of the ¡°Appropriate Use Policy.¡± (IT Handbook 5.2.1)

Time is critical. In the event of a cybersecurity event or incident concerning sensitive organizational or personal data, immediately report the event or incident by calling the USG Service Center. at 706-583-2001, or 1-888-875-3697 (Toll free within Georgia) or by emailing the USG Service Center. The USG Service Center is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Thank you for your support.

To report an incident at a USG institution, please use the contacts below.