3/5/2013 – A recent security incident at Evernote allowed attackers... Read More
Cyber Security Awareness Month in Full Swing
October marks the 8th Annual Cyber Security Awareness Month founded by the Department of Homeland Security, National Cyber Security Alliance, and Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center. This will be the fourth year that the University of Alabama has participated. Ashley Ewing, UA’s Information Security Officer, will be speaking across campus throughout the month to bring awareness to current issues in cyber security.
The Web seems almost as vital to life as water. When was the last time you went three days without some kind of access to the Internet? But just as contaminated water can be harmful, there are risks associated with accessing online resources. Some of this year’s hot topics include:
- Passwords – Passwords should be mobile. Change them often, and do not use the same password for all of your accounts.
- Social Networking - Keep private information private!
- Phishing – The University of Alabama will never request personal information (i.e. your SSN, User ID and password, birth date, or any account numbers) via email. Other reputable institutions (your bank, credit card company, or loan officers) would not email you requesting this type of information either.
- Malware, Spyware, & Anti-virus – Thousands of dollars are spent by both government and private industry to undo the damage associated with viruses and other malicious code.
- Confidential Data (FERPA, HIPAA, PCI) – Any information that contains SSNs, credit card numbers, driver’s license numbers, bank account numbers, or patient treatment information in conjunction with an individual’s name, birth date, or other identifier is confidential data.
- PC Desktop Security – Keep your Operating System, anti-virus software, and other software up to date on security patches.
To report a security incident, please contact the IT Service Desk (348-5555) or send an email to security@ua.edu . For more information, please visit http://cybersafe.ua.edu/ or http://www.staysafeonline.org/. If you’d like for Ashley Ewing or his team to speak to your group, please call Alyson Lawrence at (205) 348-9809 to schedule at time. We all play an important role in being cyber safe. Collectively, we can be champions for cyber security and keep our internet safe.
Sincerely,
Dr. John P. McGowan
Vice Provost and Chief Information Officer