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Technology Control Plan

Technology Control Plan (TCP) Management System

Faculty, staff, students, or department heads can view and manage all of their respective technology control plans resident by logging into the TCP Management System.

The Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance (OESRC) supports Virginia Tech's commitment to complying with U.S. laws and regulations applicable to export and trade sanctions. OESRC works with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and other university departments to ensure compliance with regulations promulgated by the regulatory agencies, including but not limited to the Department of State, Department of Commerce, and the Department of the Treasury.

If an export assessment determines that an activity is subject to these regulations, OESRC will assist the affected party in setting up security measures and protocols needed to ensure compliance with export and sanction regulations through the establishment of a technology control plan or other certification document.

The technology control plan details the export control classification, restriction on release of information, physical and information security protocols, project personnel requirements, annual certification, and closeout procedure.

OESRC will monitor project related activity throughout the life of the technology control plan and the principal investigator or technology control plan custodian will be required to disposition all controlled items before closeout of the technology control plan.

For general best security practices, please view our current technology control plan guidelines (requires Virginia Tech login).

Information Security protocols have been developed to comply with Department of Defense Instruction 8582.01.

Existing personnel on a technology control plan can ensure best practices are being followed by requesting a lab visit. The Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance will then help you with your security protocols.

All personnel assigned to a restricted research project must meet the following:

  1. Sign Attachment A to the technology control plan
  2. Online screening by the Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance for nationality and restricted parties or embargoed organizations
  3. Attend restricted research training
  4. Guidelines for Graduate Students Engaging in Restricted or Classified Research: Handling of Exams, Theses and Dissertations
  5. See additional Memo Re: Public Accessibility of Theses and Dissertations

Personnel that are currently on a technology control plan, who are using email to communicate project information, are required to be on an Office of Export and Secure Research Compliance approved email solution.  

In order to sign up for this solution, you will need to email exporthelp@vt.edu and provide your university PID.

Information can be found on the following page.  Virginia Tech login is required.

The following information covers common issues a user may encounter when using the COMPASS Export Server.  It is encouraged that you to attempt performing the steps listed here first and if you have any addiditonal questions or problems, please contact exporthelp@vt.edu or call 540-232-8638 for assistance.  

Barracuda VPN Issues

1. ERROR: Invalid Login or Password

If you receive the “ERROR: Invalid Login or Password” error message after attempting to log in, please verify the following information is correct:

  • Verify that you are correctly entering your password
    • If you need to reset your password, please visit this page or contact the Office of Export and Secure and Research Compliance by emailing exporthelp@vt.edu.
  • Verify that you are appending your preferred Duo method to your password
    • Password: yourpassword,push
    • Password: yourpassword,123456 (use the code that you generated with your Duo app or token; not 123456)
    • Password: yourpassword,phone
  • You didn't authenticate your second factor using DUO in enough time.  There is a 10-second period to authenticate with your DUO second factor.

2. ERROR: Handshake Request Timeout

If you receive the “ERROR: Handshake Request Timeout” error message after attempting to log in: 

  • You didn't authenticate your second factor using DUO in enough time.  There is a 10-second period to authenticate with your DUO second factor.
  • This error can also occur when there are network issues. This includes:
    • Your VPN client cannot contact our VPN appliance to establish a VPN connection due to ISP issues
    • Our VPN appliance may be offline due to a maintenance window. If this is the case, please check your email for a maintenance window notification. This will include the duration of the maintenance window and any affected services.
    • Our VPN appliance may be offline due to a network outage.

3. ERROR: Internal Authentication Error

If you receive the “ERROR: Internal Authentication error” error, your Duo account is most likely locked out. 

  • This was most likely caused by providing incorrect passcodes while two-factoring or not answering a Push notification in a timely manner.
  • You have locked out your Duo account and will need to contact Identity Management Customer Support at Virginia Tech (540-231-1841, imcshelp@vt.edu) before being able to log back in to any systems that are protected with Duo.

4. Your Barracuda VPN Client keeps getting disconnected or you are repeatedly sent a Duo multifactor push or phone call.

  • Make sure that you are not logged into the VPN client in multiple places. You are only allowed to have one active connection at a time. If you log into multiple VPN clients at the same time, the connections will constantly disconnect one another and cause Duo to send you authentication requests each time one of those connections re-establishes.

5. Login with 2-Factor error on any Virginia Tech website protected with Duo

If you receive an error: “Your account has been locked out due to excessive authentication failures. Please contact your administrator.”

  • This was most likely caused by providing incorrect passcodes while two-factoring or not answering a push notification in a timely manner.
  • You have locked out your Duo account and will need to contact Identity Management Customer Support at Virginia Tech (540-231-1841, imcshelp@vt.edu) before being able to log back in to any systems that are protected with Duo.