“I’ve been hacked! Don’t accept friend requests from me!” Most of us on social media see that warning periodically, and while not entirely accurate, it’s a sign of how prevalent fake friend requests are. These scams are rarely a sign of actual “hacking” – gaining unauthorized access to the account itself – but they do involve a little… Read More »
Whether you are sending email, participating in online discussions, or posting to social media, practicing good digital citizenship makes the online world safer and more enjoyable for yourself and others. Do your part to support online civility and promote good digital citizenship. Some practical tips are to: Refer to the following web pages for more guidance and links… Read More »
Need an internet connection, but only public WiFi is available? Follow these tips to protect U-M and personal information.
Though there has been much progress towards LGBTQ equality, this community has inherent risks online that other communities do not face. As experts in Cybersecurity, and strong LGBTQ allies, ITS Information Assurance wants to ensure those at risk of online harassment and crime have the information they need to protect themselves.
Few things tug at our hearts like adorable animals in danger or the distraught humans who miss them. Most of us have seen posts on social media from pet owners trying frantically to bring a lost furry family member home. They ask for help as simple as re-sharing, and we click, reposting that adorable dog we really hope… Read More »
The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect on May 25, 2018. In five years, it has affected changes to business processes and technology around the world and has paved the way for the adoption of privacy legislation in many countries and a number of U.S. states.
A recent alert from the Joint Ransomware Task Force (JRTF) warns about the accelerated growth of tactics used by ransomware actors. Founded in 2022, the JRTF acts as an interagency collaborative effort to reduce the prevalence and impact of ransomware attacks and is comprised of members from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of… Read More »
The University of Michigan is committed to protecting the security of its information resources and the privacy of its students, faculty, and staff, but reaching community members with relevant and engaging information about cybersecurity and privacy can be a challenge. ITS Information Assurance (IA) has created a Library of resources to help our fellow Wolverines stay informed, create… Read More »
The Biden Administration released a National Cybersecurity Strategy in March. It has been covered extensively in national media, reflecting heightened attention to the government’s response to growing cybersecurity threats.
The annual Identity Management Day was held on April 11 to celebrate the importance of identity management. Identity information is incredibly valuable to cybercriminals and, when stolen, can allow unauthorized access to university systems and data. According to the 2022 Ponemon Institute State of Cybersecurity Report, 54% of security incidents are caused by credential theft. ITS Information Assurance… Read More »
Information Assurance (IA) is committed to continually improving and streamlining capabilities, tools, and resources that support all of our shared responsibility to protect U-M systems and data. To this end, we are announcing changes to some key IA tools that will improve our unit partners’ ability to analyze and reduce security threats and risks for their units. New… Read More »
Did you know that if you use an iPhone or iPad to log into U-M websites, you don’t have to type your password every time you log in? Your Apple biometrics (FaceID or TouchID) provides a secure option. You just have to take a few minutes to set it up first. Check out this new video to see… Read More »
It’s tax season! As you read this, criminals, fraudsters, and identity thieves could be working to file fraudulent tax returns in your name and steal your tax refund. According to their latest report, IRS Criminal Investigation has identified over $5.7 billion in tax fraud in 2022 alone. ITS Information Assurance (IA) offers some tips to help protect yourself… Read More »
The U-M Dissonance Event Series explores issues at the intersection of technology, policy, privacy, security, and law, and seeks to increase university-wide, multidisciplinary discourse. ITS Information Assurance and Dissonance hosted a panel discussion of Shalini Kantayya’s film Coded Bias in 2021. The filmmaker’s latest documentary, TikTok, Boom., told another complex story that spurred a thoughtful and engaging conversation… Read More »
ITS Information Assurance is excited to announce the latest from the Dissonance Event Series. You are invited to a free, on-demand screening of the documentary film TikTok, Boom. and a conversation with the filmmaker Shalini Kantayya. March 6 through March 15 – Virtual screening of TikTok, Boom.Join us for a virtual screening of TikTok, Boom. The film examines… Read More »
With Black History Month winding down and International Women’s Day around the corner, ITS Information Assurance (IA) celebrates Black women in cybersecurity. In the face of racist institutional policies and segregation laws in 1940s and 1950s America, Black women, such as Annie Briggs, Ethel Just, and the Black “code girls” of Arlington Hall, blazed trails in a field… Read More »
UMSI Ph.D. candidate Kaiwen Sun showcased her most recent work, focused on the intersection of children’s privacy and safety, smart home technologies, and human-computer interaction, in a thought-provoking presentation as part of the 2023 Privacy@Michigan event series.
Having a presence on the internet in any form means there’s a real possibility you’ve faced online harassment or witnessed someone become a victim of it. A Pew Research Center survey found that 41% of Americans have experienced some form of this type of harassment, which is defined as the “pervasive or severe targeting of an individual or… Read More »
As headlines and research reports reveal, cyber threats are steadily increasing across all sectors, including higher education institutions. Higher ed’s decentralized, more open IT environments create higher risks, and allow for cyberattacks that can cause entire institutions to shutdown. At U-M, we take a layered approach to IT security. In addition to network protections, and advanced endpoint protection… Read More »
At the University of Michigan, we have a commitment to respecting and protecting the privacy of our community members and guests. In the summer of 2022, the U-M Privacy Office decided to put that commitment to the test on U-M websites. ITS Information Assurance (IA) used the real-time website privacy inspection tool Blacklight to scan the top 50… Read More »