Over the past decade, the threat of ransomware has affected institutions ranging from hospitals to commercial businesses to K-12 and higher education. Ransomware consists of nefarious software installed on devices clandestinely to eventually encrypt your data to prevent access. The criminal then requests a ransom in order to decrypt your data. OIT will begin implementing a new software, Halcyon Anti-Ransomware, starting Tuesday, December 19, 2023, to help find and prevent ransomware, further protecting SMU’s sensitive data and business processes.
Halcyon Anti-Ransomware is a lightweight application that runs in the background on your computer to detect ransomware and prevent it from encrypting your data. This software will also be installed on servers in our data center, helping to prevent any major interruptions due to ransomware. In the coming days, you may notice a small new icon in your taskbar in Windows. This shows you that Halcyon is installed and running, and there are no actions required on your part, as it is already protecting you!
As always, if you have any questions regarding this service, let the IT Help Desk know.
Update 12/13/2023: Post updated to reflect new launch date.
