Igo reviewed history of the SSN at Privacy Day webinar
The public perception of the SSN has gone from a symbol of security to be seen as a symbol of privacy insecurity.
Tag Archives: security
CrowdStrike Falcon deployment in the homestretch
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.
Tax fraud prevention tips
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 »
Protect your U-M VPN connection with Duo
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.
Securely dispose of your old tech
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 »
Home for the holidays? (Of course you are…)
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 »
Renew extended support if you are still running Windows 7 or Server 2008
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.
Units moving forward on enhanced endpoint protection implementation
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 »
New IoT devices for the holidays? Mind your privacy & security!
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 »
New tool automates popular system security technique
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 »
Password tip: Use a unique password for every site and service
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 »
Cybersecurity Month wrap-up by the numbers
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 »
Improvements to the UM Emergency Alerts system
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 »
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month!
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.
A self-erasing chip for security and anti-counterfeit tech
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 »
Dearborn ITS creates innovative building access screening system
As summer wound down, campus got ready for the fall semester at UM-Dearborn. An Emergency Operations Center directive necessitated restricting campus access to only those students with an on campus class—around 15% of our schedule. To do this efficiently and minimize health risks by reducing time standing in line, we turned to technology. Our reporting tool, WebFocus, produces… Read More »
A new email security tool — Virtru!
Make your U-M Gmail even more secure Information and Technology Services (ITS) is happy to announce that effective immediately, students, staff, and faculty have access to a new email security tool — Virtru. (Note: Michigan Medicine provides a similar capability for their email service). With Virtru, you can send end-to-end encrypted email to any address, prevent a forwarded email… Read More »
Secure your devices
If you are working from home, you may be using some of your personal devices to take care of U-M business. Make sure they are appropriately secured to protect yourself and U-M. If you access or maintain sensitive university data with your devices, you are responsible for securing them. See: Security of Personally Owned Devices That Access or… Read More »
Good group owners make great MCommunity groups
Are you creating new MCommunity groups to help you collaborate and stay in touch with people while working or learning remotely? Group owners are responsible for ensuring that members of their group have a good experience. The MCommunity Directory includes options to help you do that. If you own a group, your responsibilities include: Having a clear purpose… Read More »
Vulnerability scans now monthly, adding internal scans
To better help you secure your unit networks, ITS Information Assurance (IA) is increasing the frequency of its universitywide scans and adding internal network scanning. As of May, universitywide vulnerability scans are now performed monthly instead of quarterly. The monthly scans will be similar to previous quarterly scans. The software begins by performing a TCP and UDP probe… Read More »