Each October, ITS Information Assurance (IA) celebrates Cybersecurity Awareness Month by reminding members of the university community about their shared responsibility to protect themselves and the U-M community and by sharing IT security and privacy tips. “Cybersecurity, as a topic, a news item, and as an imperative is on the rise,” stated Sol Bermann, U-M Chief Information Security… Read More »
Back up data to protect U-M and yourself.
Do your part to secure U-M resources by reporting suspected phishing email to ReportPhish@umich.edu .
To help you provide phishing awareness training in your unit ITS Information Assurance (IA) has published new phishing curriculum materials on Safe Computing!
Do people in your unit need training on meeting HIPAA requirements for working with Protected Health Information (PHI)? A new eLearning course in My LINC covers how to appropriately handle PHI in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA provides privacy and security rules that govern how PHI is collected, disclosed, and secured. For… Read More »
At the June 2021 Arizona State University (ASU) Digital Trust Summit, Svetla Sytch, ITS assistant director of privacy and IT policy, and Julia Silverman, an ITS intern fellow, shared the efforts U-M has taken to engage with the U-M community, and students in particular, in conversations about privacy. They outlined three initiatives that highlight the values of being open and honest, creating simple visual and multimedia materials, and working with students.
Recognize phone scams and hang up on fraud!
If you manage U-M or unit systems, computers, or data, you are responsible for taking steps to protect them from ransomware. If you use U-M computing services, you are responsible for learning not to respond to phishing emails, which often provide entry to ransomware.
Coming in fall 2021, it is anticipated that use of Duo two-factor will be required when logging in to the U-M Virtual Private Network (VPN). That will provide added security not just for you, but for U-M networks and systems, too.
Use these tips to protect sensitive data when using free WiFi.
Secure and encrypt your devices to protect U-M and your personal data.
If you are changing jobs, retiring, or leaving U-M, move any files needed for university business somewhere that your colleagues can access and set appropriate permissions. This includes files on your computer; files in Google at U-M, Dropbox at U-M, and other online storage; and MCommunity groups. Use shared storage space when you can It is best to… Read More »
Have you heard of “smishing”? That’s phishing via text message (SMS + phishing). Watch for texts about packages you didn’t order or COVID-19 reports from unknown numbers.
People are rightfully suspicious of unsolicited email, but that can sometimes cause them to ignore or delete your legitimate university communications. In order to not appear phishy, focus on helping recipients verify the legitimacy of your U-M emails so they know they are safe to open. Tips are available on the Safe Computing website.
Have you ever seen a pop-up on your computer or received an unsolicited call urging you to contact “tech support?” Scammers sometimes impersonate IT support staff and claim something is wrong with your computer. They offer to help fix the problem—for a fee—but instead may steal your personal information or infect your computer with malicious software. This can… Read More »
Ransomware, phishing, and cyberattacks are on the rise and, increasingly, they target higher education. The most effective way to defend against them is to work together.
As U-M employees and community members, we all share in the responsibility to help protect U-M IT systems and data. But how do you do that? ITS Information Assurance has developed a Safe Computing Curriculum that offers IT security and privacy/confidentiality best practices to help safeguard the university’s digital assets.
IT security is a shared responsibility and we all need to do our part. Check out this new video to learn about your shared responsibility to protect U-M computing resources and data: IT Security—Our Shared Responsibility (2:07) As part of the U-M community, you’re provided with access to a wide variety of computing resources—and sometimes to very sensitive… Read More »
A panel of U-M experts discussed the film “Coded Bias” at a Dissonance Event on April 15. “Coded Bias” follows the journey of Joy Buolamwini, a computer scientist and digital activist based at the MIT Media Lab, as she worked with others to push for the first legislation in the U.S. to govern against bias in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. The Dissonance organizing committee brought the panelists together for an online discussion of bias in AI, transformative opportunities for its use, and more.
Many people are so excited when they get their COVID-19 vaccination that they want to share the good news with everyone. But, just as you shouldn’t share other highly personal information on social media, please don’t share a photo of your vaccination card.