Author Archives: Matt Ranville, Information Assurance
Has a system you are responsible for been compromised? How would you know? What should you do? Almost all IT professionals at some time in their career have faced these questions. Information Assurance (IA) offers guidance for checking your systems for signs of compromise, or simply suspicious activity. Start by checking system and software logs for the following… Read More »
If you are working from home, you may be using some of your personal devices to take care of U-M business. Make sure they are appropriately secured to protect yourself and U-M. If you access or maintain sensitive university data with your devices, you are responsible for securing them. See: Security of Personally Owned Devices That Access or… Read More »
Are you creating new MCommunity groups to help you collaborate and stay in touch with people while working or learning remotely? Group owners are responsible for ensuring that members of their group have a good experience. The MCommunity Directory includes options to help you do that. If you own a group, your responsibilities include: Having a clear purpose… Read More »
Scammers are taking advantage of the fear and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus. Some of the most common scams include: Fraudulent cure and treatment offers Fake charities Misinformation from scammers posing as experts Phishing Tracking maps that trick you into downloading malware See Coronavirus Scams on Safe Computing for more details. ITS Information Assurance is keeping the page… Read More »
It is vital that you report actual or suspected IT security incidents as soon as possible so that work can begin to investigate and resolve them. This applies even when you are working from home. A new ITS Information Assurance (IA) video tells you where to report them (security@umich.edu), and describes how IA responds. For more detail about… Read More »
Across the world, working from home has become a necessity. When you are working from home, follow IT security best practices to protect yourself and U-M: Secure your computer, smartphone, and other devices. Secure your connections to protect data you send and receive. Beware of phishing, scams, fraud, and other tricks and traps. Protect sensitive U-M data by… Read More »
U-M faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to use computers and devices that are managed by a central U-M IT service provider, but in some circumstances, faculty and staff may need to self-manage a UM-owned device: Computers and other devices purchased with research grant funds to meet very specific research needs. Developers needing specific operating systems or software… Read More »
Do your part to support online civility and practice and promote good digital citizenship. Be responsible and respectful in self expression, and expect respect from those you interact with. Help care for digital resources by encouraging good security practices. Respect others’ privacy, and take steps to protect your own privacy by staying aware of what you share online.… Read More »
Wallace House presents Recode’s Kara Swisher interviewing Alex Stamos live on stage at U-M’s Hill Auditorium, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. This event is co-sponsored by ITS, the Dissonance Event Series, and others. Huge tech companies have changed the way we live. Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have built unprecedented reach into our pocketbooks, privacy, individual liberties, and… Read More »
Wallace House presents Recode’s Kara Swisher interviewing Alex Stamos live on stage at U-M’s Hill Auditorium, March 18, at 6:30 p.m. This event is co-sponsored by ITS, the Dissonance Event Series, and others. Huge tech companies have changed the way we live. Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have built unprecedented reach into our pocketbooks, privacy, individual liberties, and… Read More »
On February 8, ITS Identity and Access Management (IAM) will disable the ITS Windows Internet Name Service (WINS). If you have Samba file servers that are more than about 10 years old, you may want to verify your configurations. WINS is a now-deprecated predecessor to Domain Name Service (DNS) and was necessary for Windows NT, Windows 98, and… Read More »
Are you getting or giving new Internet of Things (IoT) devices—things like smart home assistants, smart appliances, gaming systems, and wearable watches and trackers—this holiday season? If so, follow and share these basic privacy and security precautions: Change the default password for the device. Set a unique password for each device. Disable features you don’t use. Change default… Read More »
While the famous football rivalry gets all the press, it’s easy to forget that U-M and Ohio State University are partners in a variety of ways off the field. The two schools are partnering in identity and access management (IAM) to identify short-term problems to solve together, and to develop shared future IAM approaches and solutions. “In today’s… Read More »
Every October, ITS Information Assurance (IA) leads a U-M celebration of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) by hosting events, sharing tips, and reminding everyone of our shared responsibility to protect and secure university and personal systems and the sensitive information they contain. NCSAM is spearheaded by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.… Read More »
A new school year often means getting new technology, and that means needing to safely dispose of old devices. Keep that data from falling into the wrong hands by securely deleting the data before disposing of the device.
IA has primary responsibility for coordinating the response to serious IT security incidents. Report all serious or potentially serious IT security incidents to security@umich.edu. Once you’ve reported an incident, you can expect IA to keep you involved while coordinating.
Your profile Your MCommunity profile shows only information related to your U-M affiliation. For U-M staff members, publicly viewable information includes: name, uniqname, email address, U-M affiliation, title, and U-M work phone number and address. You can choose privacy settings for additional information about yourself, such as your notice or description. You can choose whether the additional information… Read More »
When U-M employees leave the university or transfer from one unit to another, it is important to transfer ownership of files, MCommunity groups, and other digital resources needed for university business. See these resources for tips and information: Leaving U-M U-M Termination Checklist (downloadable Excel file from U-M Human Resources) Plan ahead to avoid disruptions and protect privacy… Read More »
Turn on device encryption to help secure personal and institutional data at home and at work. Encryption protects against unauthorized access to data if your device is lost or stolen. Encryption is: Required for any personal device you use to access U-M data classified as High. https://www.safecomputing.umich.edu/protect-the-u/safely-use-sensitive-data/classification-levels Recommended for any device you use to access or store U-M… Read More »
Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as smart home assistants, smart appliances, and gaming systems, can collect a lot of personal data about you—sometimes more than you might realize. Personal data about you and others who use and share such devices may be retained, used, and sold in unexpected ways. IoT devices usually send data to cloud storage… Read More »