Tag Archives: privacy

Protecting medical devices from cybersecurity threats

By | December 10, 2018
0 Comment
shield with padlock

Medical devices capable of transmitting health information and connecting to Michigan Medicine’s networks offer improvements to the effective delivery of patient care, but they also may introduce privacy and security concerns. Michigan Medicine’s Information Assurance (IA) program has been raising awareness of these concerns and developing new approaches to address these vulnerabilities. As a major step, Michigan Medicine… Read More »

Only store sensitive data in approved services—check the guide!

By | December 7, 2018
0 Comment
sensitive data guide header

Do you work with sensitive data? Any time you are thinking about using a storage or collaboration service for sensitive university data—whether in the cloud or at U-M: Check the Sensitive Data Guide first to see which services are approved for your data type. If the service you want to use is not listed in the guide, ask… Read More »

Hey, Alexa, stop listening to everything I say

By | November 27, 2018
0 Comment
Google Home and Amazon Alexa devices

Smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home that can give you the weather forecast, play your favorite tunes, or control the lights in your house are a hot ticket item for the holidays. But not for everyone. Recent research from the U-M School of Information looked at privacy perceptions, concerns, and privacy-seeking behaviors with smart speakers. Florian… Read More »

Register today to attend SUMIT October 25

By | September 17, 2018
0 Comment

Mark your calendars for SUMIT_2018, U-M’s 14th annual cyber security conference on Thursday, October 25. Learn more and register today! Security at University of Michigan IT (SUMIT) is the university’s flagship event for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Held at Rackham Auditorium, SUMIT is an exciting opportunity to hear recognized experts discuss the latest issues, trends, and threats in… Read More »

Spying on remote screens—through the webcam mic

By | September 4, 2018
0 Comment
" "

Ever wonder what the people on the other end of a Hangouts session are really looking at on their screens? With a little help from machine learning, you might be able to take a peek over their shoulders. Based on research published by Daniel Genkin, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the College of Engineering,… Read More »

U-M GDPR journey discussed at forum

By | August 30, 2018
0 Comment
Block M & EU logo. location, location, location. A person's location matters when collecting data about them.

If you’re worried about the impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in your unit, take a deep breath and relax. The university has got your back. Sol Bermann, university privacy officer and interim chief information security officer, and David Grimm, associate general counsel, reassured attendees at a July 26 GDPR open forum that—with the help of… Read More »

China’s ‘Big Brother’: New surveillance system rates citizens’ behavior

By | August 17, 2018
0 Comment
Concept illustration of a surveillance camera and a Chinese flag.

If your quality of life depended on a surveillance-focused rating system that tracked your behavior, how would you fare? In a newly published study, U-M researcher Muzammil Hussain and his doctoral students analyzed the processes and stakeholders involved in China’s Social Credit System (SCS)—a new punishment/reward program that uses scores to determine whether citizens and organizations are able… Read More »

Tips for writing emails that don’t look phishy

By | July 9, 2018
0 Comment
" "

You have an important university email to send, but how do you craft it so it looks like the official, trustworthy, communication it is? In other words, how do you keep people from thinking it is a phish? Email users are rightfully suspicious of unsolicited email, but that can sometimes cause them to ignore or delete your important,… Read More »

Learn about GDPR at July 26 open forum

By | June 18, 2018
0 Comment
silhouette of people standing in front of EU flag with a lock in the middle

You and all members of the U-M community are invited to a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Open Forum to learn more about U-M’s approach to GDPR compliance. Sol Bermann, university privacy officer and interim chief information security officer, and David Grimm, associate general counsel, will share U-M’s approach to GDPR compliance, demonstrate the processes and tools developed… Read More »

U-M researchers strive to keep confidential data safe

By | June 15, 2018
0 Comment
3d text 'data' with closed chain on the background of hexadecimal data.

“Virtually all human activity in the modern world creates digital traces. It is our responsibility to ensure that the resulting data is protected and managed responsibly,” said Margaret Levenstein, director of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research at the U-M Institute for Social Research. Levenstein is leading a project team working to create a “System of… Read More »

U-M preparing for GDPR

By | May 25, 2018
0 Comment
silhouette of people standing in front of EU flag with a lock in the middle

A cross-university working group has been working for months to prepare U-M for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which goes into effect on May 25. To date, these efforts have included developing a risk-based GDPR compliance strategy, making important decisions regarding key requirements of the regulation, developing key GDPR processes and tools, and making recommendations for an… Read More »

Social media privacy: Should kids have a say?

By | May 11, 2018
0 Comment
young african american woman wearing graduation robe, being photographed by another grad

  Is it an invasion of your child’s privacy to take their picture and post it on social media? Sarita Schoenebeck, assistant professor at the School of Information, is an expert on how families use technology. She suggests that parents should respect their children and keep their feelings in mind before posting their pictures. A survey of 331… Read More »

Fragmented U.S. privacy laws leave large data loopholes

By | April 10, 2018
0 Comment
man at computer viewed through a magnifying glass

Florian Schaub, an assistant professor at U-M and a privacy expert, notes in a recent article that the patchwork of U. S. laws and regulations that govern data collection and privacy leave loopholes for companies to exploit. For example, Federal laws strictly protect medical, financial, and education-related records. However, online services, apps, and data collection by emerging technologies… Read More »

Digital privacy a risk for undocumented immigrants

By | April 10, 2018
0 Comment
phones and disk array connected to lock

Undocumented immigrants tend to be careful about public life: They limit contact with authorities, keep close-knit circles, and avoid loitering too long in parks, supermarkets, shows and other public gatherings. Some even avoid driving altogether. But when it comes to their smartphones, they struggle to apply this instinctive caution, according to a study by the U-M School of… Read More »