Entries Tagged 'Security Tips' ↓

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a global effort to help everyone stay protected whenever and however you connect. The overarching theme for this year’s campaign is: Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.

The cybersecurity and digital privacy of our students and employees is important and Adams State is proud to support this safety and education initiative. Throughout the month, we’ll share some tips and resources to help you protect yourself and the university while online.

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our Help Desk on the first floor of Nielsen Library.

Have a great rest of the week!

ASU Computing Services

As we close out National Cybersecurity Awareness Month on this sunny Halloween, we hope that some of the tips we have shared have been useful. The more you know, the more you are prepared for the monsters, zombies, and mummies that are out there. Whether you’re on your phone, tablet, or computer, remember to Own IT. Protect IT. Secure IT. from things that go bump in the night or lurk in the dark web.

For some cybersecurity horror stories, check out this list of bone-chilling tales from our friends at Panda Security: Halloween Cybersecurity Horror Stories. Or, if you prefer your stories more on the cheesy side, this quick video from our colleagues at the University of Rochester has additional tips to stay safe: “The Top Ten” Movie Trailer.

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.

Have a great Halloween!
ASU Computing Services

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It’s essential to take proactive measures to enhance cybersecurity at home, at work, and when you’re out and about. In previous weeks, we addressed how to best own and secure your personal information. Now, we need to safeguard all of that invaluable data, so here are some tips to help you “Protect IT.”

Keep a Clean Machine:

• Keep software current – Having the most up-to-date mobile security software, web browser, operating system and apps is the best defense against viruses, malware and other online threats, so keep your software updated to the latest version available. Turn on automatic updates so that you don’t have to think about it, and set your security software to run regular scans. If prompted to update your device, don’t hesitate—do it immediately.

• Delete when done – Many of us download apps for specific purposes, such as planning vacations, and no longer need them afterwards, or we may have previously downloaded apps that are longer useful or interesting to us. It’s a good security practice to delete all apps you no longer use.

Protect Your Personal Information:

• Secure your devices – Use strong passphrases, passcodes, or other features such as touch identification to lock your devices. Securing your device can help protect your information if your device is lost or stolen and keep prying eyes out.

• Now you see me, now you don’t – Some stores and other locations look for devices with WiFi or Bluetooth turned on to track your movements while you are within range. Disable WiFi and Bluetooth when not in use.

For more ideas to help you Protect IT, check out these 5 Steps to Protecting Your Digital Home from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) (https://www.cisa.gov/).

**Remember: if you connect, you must protect.**

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.

Have a great day!
ASU Computing Services

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This week’s cybersecurity focus is to “Secure IT.” by educating yourself about phishing. The simple definition of phishing is social engineering using digital methods for malicious purposes. The definition is fluid due to constantly changing technologies, but some examples include:

• Malicious Email – It can look like it comes from a financial institution, an e-commerce site, a government agency or any other service or business. It often urges you to act quickly, because your account has been compromised, your order cannot be fulfilled, or there is another urgent matter to address.

• Spear Phishing – Spear phishing involves highly specialized attacks against specific targets or small groups of targets to collect information or gain access to systems. A recent example here on campus was a targeted email to students from a purported ASU alum regarding a (fake) job opportunity for dog care.

• Imposter Scams – Gift cards are a great way to give a gift. But did you know they are also a scammer’s favorite way to steal money? Gift cards and reloading of cards is the #1 payment method for imposter scams. This scam is so widespread that the Federal Trade Commission set up a webpage to address the issue: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/scammers-demand-gift-cards.

• Spam & Phishing on Social Networks – Spam, phishing and other scams aren’t limited to just email. They’re also prevalent on social networking sites. The same rules apply on social networks: When in doubt, throw it out. This rule applies to links in online ads, status updates, tweets and other posts.

An attack can have devastating results. For individuals, this includes unauthorized purchases, the stealing of funds, or identify theft. For corporate and government networks, phishing is often used to gain a foothold as part of a larger attack.

Criminals are always looking for ways to hook you with a new phishing scam, so play hard to get. For some simple tips to Secure IT., check out this flyer from our friends at the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies: How to spot and avoid phish.

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.

Have a great day!
ASU Computing Services

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
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This week’s cybersecurity focus is to “Own IT.” by managing your privacy.

Your devices — smartphones, laptops, and wearables — make it easy to connect to the world around you, but they can also pack a lot of info about you and your friends and family, such as your contacts, photos, videos, locations and health and financial data. Here are a couple of tips to help manage your privacy in an always-on world:

• Think before you app: Information about you, such as the games you like to play, your contacts list, where you shop and your location, has value, just like money. Be thoughtful about who gets that information and how it’s collected through apps. Remember, personal information is like money. Value it. Protect it.

Have a great day!
ASU Computing Services

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October is upon us — the season of pumpkin spice lattes, fall foliage, and Halloween. Did you also know that October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month? That means it’s time to learn about some easy steps you can take to be safer and more secure online.

Held every October, NCSAM 2019’s theme is: Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT., emphasizing proactive steps to enhance cybersecurity practices.

Own It.

• Never click and tell: staying safe on social media
• Update privacy settings
• Keep tabs on your apps: best practices for device applications

Secure IT.

• Shake up your passphrase protocol: create strong, unique passphrases
• Double your login protection: turn on multi-factor authentication
• Shop safe online
• Play hard to get with strangers: how to spot and avoid phish

Protect IT.

• If you connect, you must protect: updating to the latest security software, web browser and operating systems
• Stay protected while connected: wi-fi safety
• If you collect it, protect it: keeping customer/consumer data and information safe

Throughout the month, we’ll provide some videos, other resources, and share some tips to encourage personal accountability and proactive behavior to help protect yourself and the university online.

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.

Thanks!
ASU Computing Services

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
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Computing Services has received an increased number of reported phishing emails being sent to ASU employees. Many of these messages are being sent in an effort to impersonate the President’s account to trick you into replying to the message or sharing information with the scammer. This is a classic example of a “spear phishing” attack, DO NOT reply to the email or contact the sender in any way.

With spear phishing emails or any other suspicious email messages, don’t reply or click links, and NEVER give out private and sensitive information, or your username and password. Instead, you can contact the ASU Computing Services Helpdesk at x7741, or via email at computingservices@adams.edu to let us know of the scam. You can also contact the sending department to verify its authenticity through other channels such as calling their office directly from the number listed in our campus directory or visit with them in person.

If something looks suspicious, it probably is. Computing Services will never ask you for your username and password, or any other sensitive personal information either by email or over the phone.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the ASU Computing Services Helpdesk at computingservices@adams.edu, by phone at 719-587-7741 or in person at our Helpdesk on campus.

Computing Services

Cybercriminals have become quite savvy in their attempts to lure people in and get you to click on a link or open an attachment. This type of attack is called phishing. Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites (clicking on a link) to collect personal and financial information or to infect your machine with malware and viruses. Spear phishing involves highly specialized attached against specific targets or small groups of targets to collect info to collect information or gain access to systems.

You may not realize it, but you are a phishing target at school, at work, and at home. Ultimately, you are the most effective way to detect and stop phishing scams. When viewing e-mail messages, texts, or social media posts, look for the following indicators to prevent stolen passwords, personal data, or private information.

–Beware sketchy messages. Phishy messages may include a formal salutation, overly-friendly tone, grammatical errors, urgent requests, or gimmicks.
–Avoid opening links and attachments. Even if you know the sender, don’t click on links that could direct you to a bad website. And do not open attachments unless you are expecting a file from someone.
–Verify the source. Check the sender’s e-mail address to make sure it’s legitimate. If in doubt, just delete the message.

Knowing what you’re up against can help you be more secure. For some examples of phishing attempts and tips on what you can do to protect yourself, check out this quick video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpaLmeHTp3I

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.

Thanks!
ASU Computing Services

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/ASUComputingServices
www.facebook.com/ASUResNet

We are now well into Cybersecurity Awareness Month and hope some of the tips we’ve shared have been helpful. This week’s topic is how to stay safe while using your mobile device.

Today’s mobile devices — including smartphones, laptops, and tablets — are as powerful and connected as any personal computer. Remember to take the same precautions on your mobile devices as you would on your computer and STOP.THINK.CONNECT.

STOP. make sure security measures are in place.
THINK. about the consequences of your actions and behaviors online.
CONNECT. and enjoy your devices with more peace of mind.

–Always use a strong password to lock your device. If your device supports encryption, be sure to enable it.
–Enable remote wiping of your device. If it is lost or stolen, you should immediately wipe the device to secure your data.
–Think before you app: review the permissions that applications request and think twice about installing the app if it needs access to all your information.
–Connect with care. Use caution when connecting to wifi hotspots.

For additional tips on protecting yourself while using your mobile device, check out this flyer from the National Cyber Security Alliance (staysafeonline.org): Safety Tips for Mobile Devices

Computing Services is here to help you with cybersecurity and answer any questions you may have. Feel free to contact us at (719) 587-7741, computingservices@adams.edu, or stop by our offices in the Computing Services building.

Thanks!
ASU Computing Services

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/ASUComputingServices
www.facebook.com/ASUResNet