CIO'S MESSAGE - October 6, 2021

Cybersecurity Awareness Month | Make It a Habit (Student Version)

Dear Students,

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a global effort to help everyone stay safe and protected when using technology whenever and however you connect. The theme for the month is, ‘Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart,’ and CSULB is proud to be a champion and supporter of this online safety and education initiative this October.

The cybersecurity landscape can be complex and difficult to navigate.  One way to simplify cybersecurity is to develop a handful of good habits that can help protect you in a variety of situations.  Whether you are working on campus, at home, at a remote site or on the road, the following cybersecurity habits can be incorporated into your online life.

Adopt the following 10 cybersecurity habits right now.

  1. Be on guard about phishing.  Always think twice before clicking on links or opening attachments, even if it appears to come from someone you know.  If an email is unexpected, contact the sender by a method you know is legitimate to confirm the identity of the sender.
  2. Verify all requests for sensitive information (yours and anyone’s) even if the request appears to come from someone you know.
  3. Protect sensitive information at all times.  Do not collect, send, or store sensitive information via email.  Only use university-approved methods and software to share and store sensitive information securely.
  4. Delete sensitive information when you are done with it.  Only store sensitive data for as long as you need it.
  5. Protect your login accounts and passwords.  Make your passwords long and strong.  Never reveal your passwords to anyone.  Use multi-factor authentication (MFA, also called 2-step authentication) wherever possible.
  6. Protect your computing devices and never leave them unattended.  Lock them up or take them with you before you leave.  Be sure to password-protect all your devices.
  7. Think before sharing information to avoid oversharing on social media.
  8. Maintain updated devices! Keep your devices, apps, browsers, and anti-virus/anti-malware software patched and up-to-date.
  9. Backup critical data regularly, such as on your university-provided OneDrive.
  10. If it seems suspicious, report it immediately to alert@csulb.edu.

If you have any questions or concerns with information security, please contact ISO@csulb.edu.

Cuc Du

Information Security Officer