More security: Interface between the University of Münster and the Federal Networks is certified by the Federal Office for Information Security

ISO 27001 certificate based on IT-Grundschutz (BSI [ger])
© Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik

Since 20.12.2022, the network transition between the University of Münster and the Federal Network-Connection Network has been certified with the "ISO 27001 certificate based on IT-Grundschutz" for secure data exchange. This certification is based on an elaborate auditing process, which CIT (formerly WWU IT) was the first university unit nationwide to successfully pass. The audit enabled the University of Münster's already high level of security to be further increased.

Since 2015, University of Münster has been connected to the interconnection network of the Federal Networks (formerly DOI, Deutschland-Online-Infrastruktur), which is used for the secure exchange of data between the federal administration and the state and local administrations. Even this initially required an extensive security concept tested by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI).

With the takeover of the DOI by the Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio on 1 January 2019, the DOI became the Federal Network-Connection Network. A subsequent revision of the 2020 connection conditions significantly increased the requirements for the design of the network transition for the University of Münster. Thus, after a transition period, regular auditing in accordance with ISO 27001 according to BSI IT-Grundschutz must now be demonstrated.

In intensive, cross-departmental cooperation within the University of Münster, this auditing was prepared from 2021 to 2022 and successfully passed in September 2022, so that the "ISO 27001 certificate based on IT-Grundschutz" could be awarded by the BSI on 20 December 2022. This makes CIT the first university unit in Germany to be awarded such a certificate by the Federal Office for Information Security.

The application of the BSI IT-Grundschutz to the Federal Networks serves the University of Münster as a prototype for expansion to other areas. The certification puts CIT and the University of Münster in an excellent position to implement the "Agreement on Information Security at Universities" concluded at the beginning of 2023 between the Ministry for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the NRW universities. This agreement calls for a comprehensive application of the BSI IT-Grundschutz methodology by all NRW universities.