CIO'S MESSAGE - December 17, 2018
Online Pitfalls to Avoid this Holiday Season
The holiday season is one of the most vulnerable times of year for online activity. As the campus is getting ready for the holiday closure, please do your part to keep your devices and our campus network safe. Keep these tips in mind when conducting business online:
- Check the web address bar - look for https:// (not http) or the ‘key lock’ image in the web address before using credit cards.
- Protect your passwords - make them complex and never reveal to anyone.
- Get multi-factor authentication - check with your various online service providers to see if they offer multi-factor authentication. An example of a form of multi-factor authentication is receiving a text message with a PIN. When you log in, you have to provide that extra PIN to access your account.
- Don’t use public Wi-Fi (ex. Airports, coffee shops) or public computers for accessing confidential information - treat these areas as compromised and minimize your online activity to less sensitive activity.
- Check your campus credit card and bank statements - these will be the first indicators that your account information has been stolen. Report discrepancies immediately.
Aysu Spruill
Information Security Officer
Min Yao, Ph.D.
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
