The university will roll out three key changes to U-M Zoom on May 18, 2021. The changes are being implemented to improve security while ensuring that U-M Zoom continues to meet the needs of the U-M community. Users of U-M Zoom are being notified of these changes on a rolling basis. It is important that users take action… Read More »
IT security is a shared responsibility and a never-ending journey of incremental improvement, but some improvements are larger and come faster than others. In October 2020, ITS announced that Enhanced Endpoint Protection powered by CrowdStrike Falcon would be rolled out to university-owned computers (desktops, laptops, and servers). About six months later, as of early March 2021, Falcon has… Read More »
If you encounter an actual or suspected IT security incident, it is vital that you report it as soon as possible so that work can begin to investigate and resolve it. This applies whether you are working from home or on campus. Take a minute to watch the ITS Information Assurance (IA) video: How to Report an IT… Read More »
Students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend office hours with ITS Information Assurance experts. Come ask your IT security and privacy questions!
Following these guidelines to secure personal devices that you use for working with U-M data protects you and the university.
The public perception of the SSN has gone from a symbol of security to be seen as a symbol of privacy insecurity.
Enhanced Endpoint Protection powered by CrowdStrike (Falcon) is a critical part of securing and protecting U-M systems and data, and we are relying on you all to complete deployment by the end of February.
Beware! It’s that time of the year again! 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. ITS Information Assurance (IA) offers the following tips to help you protect yourself from identity theft and tax fraud: File your taxes as soon as… Read More »
When working from home or elsewhere, you can use Duo two-factor protection for additional security with the U-M Virtual Private Network (VPN). It provides added security not just for you, but for U-M networks, too.
If you are adding or upgrading to new tech devices, you might have old ones that you, or U-M unit, are ready to dispose of. Old disks, flash drives, smartphones, and computers can all contain personal data, and in some cases, U-M data if you used those devices for work. Keep that data from falling into the wrong… Read More »
Normally, we’d remind you about conserving energy and securing your desk and office before you leave campus for Winter Break. However, because many if not most of us are already working from home, we’re changing it up a bit this year. (But if you’re still in the office, check out last year’s article for details on what to… Read More »
If you purchased extended support for university machines running Windows 7 or Server 2008 in January 2020, be aware that the support is about to expire. You will need to update the machines to a supported version of Windows or Windows Server, purchase another year of extended support, decommission the machines, or isolate them on a protected network.
In October we reported that, along with other security tools like Virtru at U-M, CrowdStrike Falcon was being rolled out across the university on UM-owned machines. Falcon provides antivirus, anti-malware, and threat detection and mitigation capabilities, all of which offer stronger protection against ransomware and other malicious attacks than previous tools. Deployment update CrowdStrike Falcon has been deployed… Read More »
Internet of things (IoT) devices can be great gifts, but those smart home speakers, thermostats, and cool wearables like watches and fitness trackers come with some security and privacy risks. To protect yourself and your personal data, follow these tips: Privacy Mute your smart speaker when not using it. Disable features you don’t use. Choose privacy settings for… Read More »
Working with researchers from the University of Texas at Austin, Xinyu Wang, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science, co-authored an award-winning paper that demonstrates how to automatically build sandboxing policies to keep a computer system safe. Sandboxing is a software management strategy that isolates applications from critical system resources and other programs. One common sandbox approach… Read More »
Here is an important password tip: Do not reuse your UMICH (Level-1) password. Try to set a unique password for each site and online service you use (or use a password manager), and never use your UMICH password for non-university accounts or services. Reusing passwords puts you at risk. There have been a number of data breaches outside… Read More »
As shown above, highlights of Cybersecurity month include: 9 virtual training sessions covering topics like privacy and data use, using Duo two-factor authentication, data classification, and more 4 virtual drop-in Q&A sessions with security analysts 1000+ people sent and received email with Virtru enhanced email security 22K+ MiWorkspace and MiServer managed systems have CrowdStrike Falcon installed for enhanced… Read More »
The Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS) and Information and Technology Services (ITS) have partnered to improve the UM Emergency Alerts system for all University of Michigan campuses. On October 19, the university introduced a new enrollment page, alerts.umich.edu, where students, faculty, and staff can go to verify or update their preferred mobile number to receive UM Emergency… Read More »
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 and by sharing IT security and privacy tips.
Self-erasing chips developed at U-M could help stop counterfeit electronics or provide alerts if sensitive shipments are tampered with. They rely on a new material that temporarily stores energy, changing the color of the light it emits. It self-erases in a matter of days, or it can be erased on demand with a flash of blue light. With… Read More »