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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.
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Think Before You Share: What the Claude Search Exposure Teaches Us About AI Privacy
Recent reporting found that some Claude chats and Artifacts shared by public links appeared in Google search results. Reported examples included internal documents, health-related information, contact details, and API keys. This does not appear to mean that all private Claude chats were exposed, but it is an important reminder that a shared AI link may be far more…
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Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Prompt Bombing
Two-factor authentication (also known as, “Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)”) provides an extra layer of security for your accounts, but it’s important to think before you click. Cybercriminals can use an attack method called 2FA prompt bombing to bypass 2FA protections and overwhelm you with prompts via the Push feature of Duo. For example, cybercriminals may try to log…
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When ‘Too Good to Be True’ Comes from Someone You Know
For years, cybercriminals have used social media to post fake sales listings for popular items such as furniture or electronics. As these scams have gained in popularity, most of us have learned to use caution when buying items online from strangers. Now, cybercriminals are impersonating people you trust to lure you into their fake listing…
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.
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A Guide to Recognizing and Avoiding Scammers
In a world where information is as valuable as currency, scammers have found fertile ground. With our reliance on technology, understanding and recognizing the tactics of these digital tricksters is crucial. This article aims to empower you with knowledge to identify and protect against such threats. Recognizing Scammers: The Red Flags Scammers often use similar…
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Protecting Against Malware Concealed in PNG Images
In our ongoing commitment to keeping our environment safe and secure, we bring to your attention a notable cybersecurity concern. The infiltration of malware via PNG (Portable Network Graphics) images has seen a rise and warrants collective vigilance. The Threat: Malware Embedded within PNG Images Cyber adversaries have found a method to embed malicious code…
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Beware of Fake Update Pop-Ups: A Guide to Secure Your Online Experience
We’ve all seen them — those pesky pop-up windows that appear when we visit a website, urging us to update our software or install a new app. At first glance, they might seem harmless or even helpful. After all, keeping software up to date is a critical component of good cybersecurity hygiene. But here’s the…
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Safeguarding Against QR Code Fishing
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, one emerging tactic is the use of QR codes in phishing emails. This deceptive technique poses a significant risk to both end users and IT professionals. Understanding QR Code Fishing: QR code phishing involves embedding malicious URLs or content within a seemingly innocuous QR code within emails, on…
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.
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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…
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.
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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…