STAC Summit Meeting and ITS IA Open House
Two April events brought the U-M IT security community together in a spirit of engagement, transparency and shared goals.
Tag Archives: cybersecurity
Vulnerability Scanning and Blocking of Unremediated Systems
Information Assurance (IA) provides Tenable Vulnerability Scanning for units. As outlined in the Vulnerability Management standard, IA also blocks systems when serious vulnerabilities reported to a unit remain unaddressed.
History of Surveillance Timeline on Safe Computing
The ITS Information Assurance team has published the History of Surveillance Timeline, a unique resource on Safe Computing for those who like to learn from history.
Securing Mechanical Engineering Networks
When coordinated and planned correctly, collaboration between faculty, students, and information technology can maintain security while allowing researchers the flexibility needed to drive innovation in a constantly changing engineering environment. “Maintaining PI autonomy and creating a secure environment is critical and increasingly challenging,” says Department Chair Ellen Arruda. In an ongoing effort to further secure the Department of Mechanical… Read More »
Privacy@Michigan speakers discuss the economics of privacy
The annual celebration of Data Privacy Day at the University of Michigan kicked off with a Privacy@Michigan keynote event featuring Prof. Alessandro Acquisti, Trustees Professor of Information Technology and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College, and the co-director of the CMU Center for Behavioral Decision Research (CBDR).
Duo releases a new look to all customers — coming to U-M Feb. 20
On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the University of Michigan will start using an updated Duo Universal Prompt screen for two-factor authentication. All Duo customers across the world, including U-M, are required to transition to the Universal Prompt, and Duo is ending support for the traditional version.
Happy Secure Holidays from IA
The holidays are a great time for shopping and travel, but they are also prime time for cybercrime. ITS Information Assurance (IA) wants to gift you some Safe Computing tips to protect your personal data this holiday season. Secure your devices These basics will help you start out from a more secure place: Shop securely After you take… Read More »
Enhanced confidentiality of information on ITS Websites
Information and Technology Services (ITS) is reviewing more closely all technical service information published publicly. In the spirit of an open, higher-education environment, much of the documentation and content published by ITS has been accessible to the public, even when only intended for the U-M community. Going forward, the ITS approach will be to limit access to some… Read More »
A farewell to Cosign
On November 1, 2023, the ITS Identity and Access Management (IAM) team and colleagues across ITS and the university gathered to celebrate the retirement of the Cosign service at U-M. Created by members of U-M’s IT Commons group in 2001, Cosign was a web-based, single-sign-on solution that was rapidly adopted at other universities. As U-M’s Cosign reached the… Read More »
Visit Safe Computing
Ever wonder what makes a good password? How you can spot phishing before you’re caught by it? Or maybe you’re just curious about what’s new in the world of IT security and privacy? For all of this and much more, visit the Safe Computing website. Safe Computing is an authoritative website filled with IT security and privacy guidance… Read More »
U-M requiring password reset for all UMICH (Level-1) accounts
The University of Michigan has mandated that passwords for all UMICH (Level-1) accounts be changed by the end of Sept. 12. An email informing faculty, staff and students across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses, as well as Michigan Medicine, was sent from Ravi Pendse, vice president for information technology, and Sol Bermann, chief information security officer.… Read More »
TikTok, Boom. documentarian earns Emmy nom
ITS congratulates Shalini Kantayya on her 2023 News & Documentary Emmy nomination for her documentary TikTok, Boom. This is her second Emmy nomination. Kantayya directs “fiction and nonfiction films that artfully marry the future of science with the future of story.” (shalinikantayya.net) ITS hosted a conversation with Kantayya about TikTok, Boom. for a Dissonance event earlier this year.… Read More »
Social media scams: Fake friends
“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 »
Security tips for using public WiFi
Need an internet connection, but only public WiFi is available? Follow these tips to protect U-M and personal information.
Profiles in IT: Pat Steffes—Trans advocate
Pat Steffes is a senior software programmer analyst with ITS Information Assurance (IA). They are UM-Dearborn alumni and a passionate advocate for the transgender community in cybersecurity. They also enjoy supporting feminists and queer artists in the Metro Detroit area.
Social media scams: Some lost pets aren’t what they seem.
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 »
Stay alert to protect against ransomware tactics
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 »
Profiles in IT: Skyler West—Spectacular SUL
Skyler West is a data security analyst on the U-M Flint campus. In his role as a security unit liaison (SUL), he partners with ITS Information Assurance to promote security awareness, education, monitoring, and compliance, while enabling UM-Flint’s missions. In his free time, he likes to camp, cook, game, and garden.
Library of IT security and privacy awareness resources
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 »
Biden Administration releases National Cybersecurity Strategy
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.