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Information Security
Scam Types
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Scams used to be easier to detect without worry. A Nigerian prince asks for a few hundred dollars to give you access to his fortune. But those days are gone, and scammers are in a constant arms race with cybersecurity for your sensitive information. Learn about the different types of scams and how to deal with them.
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Cyber Security 101 — Insider Threats
OIT receives many questions about cyber security, especially about what users can do to protect themselves. That is why we have an active security awareness program; we want to help users become secure and make the most of technology. Good Cybersecurity practices are not that hard; you only have to know and follow a few…
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Considering Social Media Privacy
Most people would never consider walking into a crowded room and loudly broadcasting to total strangers all the details of their private life—from their health issues to their family and friends’ names, ages, jobs, or school locations. Ironically, these same individuals don’t think twice about posting that same information on social media. The ramifications of…
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Context is Everything!
One definition of context is the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed. It isalso one of the reasons that every cyber security professional respond with, “…it depends” when asked about a control in a security plan. UT Policy requires…
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Are My Documents Secure in the Cloud?
With the increased use of cloud storage (Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Evernote, etc.), individuals should take extra precautions to ensure that both personal data and university data are protected. Cloud storage can reduce the risk involved with physically carrying data around on removable media. Users often have on-demand access to their information anywhere, and…
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Look, No Hands—Let OIT Continuously Monitor Your Systems
One of the responsibilities of every user of UT’s IT resources is to continuously monitor their UT Owned workstations, laptops, and servers. What does that even mean? HOW? WHO? Who does ANYTHING continuously? These two words, continuous monitoring,” would imply that you (or somebody) should be looking at a computer(s) 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. Thankfully, this…
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Plans and Programs and Controls, Oh My!
Information security conversations often include words like “IT security plans,” “systems,” and “program plans.” What do these terms mean in the context of cyber security, and why should we care? Three reasons WHY we are talking about cyber security: Human Resource (HR) or Fiscal (FI) policies provide a governance structure for conducting university business, the…
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How Do Cybercriminals Make an Email Sound so Authentic?
Email or phone call scams are not new; cybercriminals have been attempting to fool people for years. Older scams like “You Won the Lottery” or the infamous “Nigerian Prince” are created as generic messages sent out to millions of people. The non-specific nature of these messages makes them easier to spot. More recently, personalized scams…
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Security Topic of the Week
Is your workstation or laptop running slow? Does it take forever for an application to start? Do you return to your desk following short breaks and often find that your computer has restarted and is displaying some sort of cryptic message about a problem? These are all signs that your machine may be compromised or infected. Security incidents…
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File Sharing Options for Sensitive Information
We regularly receive questions about sharing or storing sensitive information. While we have several recommendations, first, let’s talk about why you should be concerned about how you share or store sensitive information. ALL users are responsible for ensuring that their use of sensitive information services complies with laws, regulations, and policies where applicable; it is EVERYONE’s responsibility.…
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Steps for Staying Secure in These Scary Times
As technology gains a more important role in our lives, it also grows in complexity. Given how quickly technology changes, keeping up with security advice can be confusing. It seems like there is always new guidance on what you should or should not be doing. However, while the details of how to stay secure may…