passwords – Page 3

Do You Know How to Spot A Phish?

Phishing is a method of identity theft which requests confidential information such as usernames, account numbers, passwords, etc. by masquerading as a legitimate, trusted company. This term typically refers to attempts through email. However, this same type of attack can occur in person (social engineering) or over the phone (farming).

Phishing emails have become very sophisticated. It used to be that they were so poorly written that you could just rely on really bad grammar or spelling errors to determine their legitimacy. That is no longer the case. The emails can appear to come from trusted addresses and cleverly designed with graphics, disclaimers, etc. So how can you determine if an email is legitimate?

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Cyber Security Awareness Month is Here

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM). Technology plays such an integral role in our daily lives—everything from paying bills to controlling our TV lineup is managed online. The wealth of information stored online about each one of us is staggering. As part of Security Awareness Month will be looking at how to keep you safe and protected both online and at work.

Just take a moment to consider the various accounts you have and the services you use. These companies have information about your spending patterns, your entertainment patterns, and your various interests right at their fingertips. Although most of us enjoy the convenience of having all of this data stored and synchronized across multiple devices, there is a cost to having this data propagated everywhere. The protection of this information starts with you.

Throughout the month of October, OIT will send you weekly emails that will help you increase your knowledge and awareness about cybersecurity.

Security Showdown

As part of Cyber Security Awareness Month, we will be hosting our first Security Showdown on the afternoon on October 21st. Go ahead and mark your calendars. The theme this year is “I work with Superheroes” and if you know of any cybersecurity superheroes, we want to know about them. We will have more information about this interactive event in the coming weeks.

Password Protection

by George Finney

Password Protection – For accounts that may give you access to sensitive information, you should have a stronger password than personal accounts like Facebook. If you suspect it has been compromised or shared with someone else, change it! SMU requires you to change your password every 6 months just in case your password has been compromised and you don’t know it, but you are always the best judge of how to protect your password.

For more information, visit smu.edu/infosec.