Courtesy of Information Technology Services
October means cool weather, LSU football and cyber security month. The internet is dangerous when you are not careful, so here are a few things to watch out for and a few things to do to keep your information secure.
Have a strong password.
To create a strong password it should be around eight characters, including a number, a symbol and at least one capital letter. The complexity of the password will help protect you from people trying to hack your accounts.
Today, people have multiple accounts, so it can be hard to remember all of your passwords. LSU Director of Information Security and Policy Sumit Jain recommends not using the same password for all of your accounts.
Watch out for phishing.
Phishing consists of people pretending to be trustworthy users or programs with the goal of stealing your personal information.
“The risks can vary from having an email account compromised to having a compromised identity,” said Jain.
Providing any information online is dangerous because you never know where your information could end up.
Users should be careful on what they click on because you never know who can gain access to the information your provide online.
Also think about what you are trying to access and specifically how you are accessing it, according to Information Systems and Decision Sciences senior and Trace Security associate information security analyst Taylor Richard.
“People get viruses easily by clicking on ads and by phishing emails that come through, and that easily allows a hacker into your computer depending on the type of computer it is,” Richard said.
Keep your data private.
It is important to be careful about what information you provide.
According to Jain, it is not about avoiding parts of the internet but about being careful about what activities are conducted.
When you share information, check if it is on a reliable site. Make sure the information is not too personal so that your accounts can stay safe.
Information you shared online does not disappear, so, once it is on the internet, there is always a way to find it, even if it is deleted.
Secure your data.
As a way to secure your email, LSU implemented the Multi-Factor Authenticator (MFA) on Oct. 14 to ensure it is really you logging in to your email.
Another requirement from the University is changing your password every three months to secure your personal information.
While the University takes preventable measures, it does not guarantee your safety, so watch what you post and be wary of where you put personal information.
Richard warned that people should avoid risky websites that do not seem “legit” and be wary of downloading certain software.
“Don’t try to necessarily go onto what is called the ‘dark net’ and try to get illegal stuff,” Richard said.
Richard said to have up-to-date security software on your computer, make sure not to fall for scam artists and do not give out your social security number and other sensitive information.
If you have problems with your cybersecurity, LSU’s ITS Service Desk will be able to assist with any problems. You can get in contact with the service desk through phone at (225)-578-3375, email at [email protected], chat or in-person at one of their locations. To find more information on LSU ITS Service Desk’s hours and locations click here or to learn more about cybersecurity click here.