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Information Security

Article Archive #2


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Importance of Security

Information security is about addressing and reducing IT RISK. It’s easy to overlook risk as a topic when all you hear is talk about passwords, firewalls, encryption, policies, or two-factor authentication. In this section, you’ll read about how the university is at risk and what you can do to reduce the risk in your group, department, and college.

  • Safeguarding Your Online Presence: A Guide to Secure Social Media Use

    In today’s interconnected world, social media has become integral to our daily lives. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends, share experiences, and network professionally. However, it’s crucial to remember that the information we share online can have significant implications for our privacy and security.  Here are some tips on how to…

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  • The Importance of Information Security

    Each week, we have a section in OIT Weekly about information security.  We give tips and tricks to help you protect yourself from bad actors.  Given how much information security is in the news, this information can feel boring or redundant.  Recently though, the University of Michigan experienced a significant information security event that had…

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  • Avoid Social Media Mistakes

    We want to raise awareness about the potential dangers associated with social media usage. Cybercriminals often exploit personal information shared on social platforms to launch targeted attacks or engage in identity theft. Here are some essential tips to stay safe: Stay vigilant and follow these guidelines to protect your online presence and maintain a secure…

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Scam Types

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.

  • Tech Support Scams

    What are tech support scams? Tech support scams are a type of cybercrime that aims to trick users into believing that their computer has a serious problem, such as a virus. The scammers then offer to resolve the issue for a fee, which often involves installing malware on the user’s device or directing them to…

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  • The Rising Threat of AI Voice Cloning

    Artificial intelligence continues to reshape the digital landscape, offering powerful tools for innovation but also new avenues for exploitation. One emerging threat is AI voice cloning, a technique that uses machine learning to replicate a person’s voice with startling accuracy. While this technology has legitimate applications in entertainment and accessibility, it has also been weaponized…

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  • Social Engineering: Examples and Avoiding Them

    Social engineering is a significant threat that leverages human psychology and trust to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise security for fraudulent purposes. It relies on exploiting human behavior rather than technical vulnerabilities. Understanding what social engineering is, recognizing its various forms, and knowing how to protect oneself from such attacks are crucial for maintaining security in both…

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  • Privacy Concerns with Onboard AI: Google Gemini

    Ending the series of privacy concerns with onboard AI, Google Gemini, which uses the hardware on any Android smartphone with Gemini support, has been seen as a potential issue for user privacy.   Privacy Concerns Associated with Google Gemini:  To Opt Out of Google Gemini, Follow These Steps When You Opt Out of Google Gemini, Here…

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Benefits & Tips for You

In this section, you can learn about all the different tools available to you at UT, such as secure file sharing and monitoring your systems. We will also share best practices for staying secure at school and at home.

  • Tips for Securing macOS

    It’s no surprise that macOS is the second-biggest operating system worldwide. Apple has a well-regulated array of computers available for consumers that merge many strengths of the whole Apple ecosystem. However, this doesn’t mean that you should not take any steps to help secure your macOS computer. Securing your Apple computer involves several steps to…

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  • MFA + Strong Passwords: Your Best Defense Against Account Attacks

    Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts by requiring more than just a password to sign in. Even if a password is stolen through phishing, malware, or a data breach, MFA can still prevent an attacker from accessing your account. This additional safeguard is especially important because passwords can be…

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  • Find Out If Your Data Was Exposed in a Breach

    Data breaches continue to affect major organizations, and recent reporting has linked the ShinyHunters extortion group to incidents involving Charter Communications, a company with services branded as Spectrum. A simple way to check whether your email address appears in a known breach data is to use Have I Been Pwned at haveibeenpwned.com. This site lets you search your…

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Protecting University Data

Discover essential articles on cybersecurity practices specifically tailored for the University of Tennessee. Learn effective strategies to safeguard sensitive information, defend against threats, and maintain data integrity. Equip yourself with knowledge to protect your university’s digital ecosystem.

  • Safeguarding Your Remote Work

    Remote work in higher education is now the norm. To keep your online work safe using university-provided tools like OneDrive and Microsoft Teams, follow these straightforward steps: Working remotely in higher education is convenient and secure when you use the university-provided tools while taking these precautionary steps.

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  • Privacy Concerns with Onboard AI: Microsoft Copilot

    Continuing with privacy concerns with onboard AI, Microsoft Copilot, which uses the hardware on any system with Windows 11 Copilot+ to run the native AI of Copilot, has been seen as a potential issue for user privacy. We’ve highlighted a few privacy concerns associated with Microsoft Copilot: You can opt out of data collection for…

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  • Managing Permissions on Mobile Phones

    Application permissions are settings that control what an app can access and do on your device. Here are some common types of permissions: These permissions can be needed for the application to function, but sometimes, the application takes more permissions than necessary. In the cybersecurity world, we would call that a violation of “Least Privilege” or…

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