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Information Security

Importance of Security


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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.

  • Understanding Cybersecurity: A Glossary for Everyone

    In today’s digital age, understanding cybersecurity is not just for IT professionals but for everyone who uses the internet. Here are some common cybersecurity terms that everyone should be familiar with: Remember, knowledge is the first line of defense against cyber threats. Stay safe online!

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  • Safeguarding Your Data in the Cloud: A Guide to Cloud Security

    In today’s digital age, cloud computing has become an integral part of how we store, access, and share data. Whether you’re an end user or an IT professional, understanding cloud security is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information. Let’s explore some essential tips to help you navigate the world of cloud security. Remember, cloud security is…

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  • 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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  • Cybercriminals and Barbie

    The Barbie movie grossed over $350 million at the box office this past weekend. With so many people invested in seeing this summer blockbuster, theaters quickly sell out of tickets. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are taking advantage of this scarcity by posting scam links to see the Barbie movie. In these Barbie-themed scams, cybercriminals send a phishing email with a link claiming that you won tickets to see Barbie in theaters or that you…

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  • Call 800-Cybercriminal

    Recently, cybercriminals have taken advantage of Soda PDF, a PDF viewing service. Using Soda PDF, cybercriminals are sending malicious PDF files in an attempt to trick you into sharing your phone number and payment information. This scam can be difficult to recognize because Soda PDF is a legitimate service. So, it’s important to learn how to…

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  • ChatGPT

    ChatGPT, like anything else powered by artificial intelligence, comes with risks that need to be considered. A couple of key risks associated with any AI platform, but particularly ChatGPT, are Privacy, Data, and Ethics. Privacy and Data SecurityWhen interacting with ChatGPT, users often provide sensitive information or personal data. There is a risk that this…

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  • Cybercriminal at Your Door!

    Ring is a popular brand of security cameras designed for home safety. Unfortunately, Ring customers were the latest victims of a phishing attack. Cybercriminals sent phishing emails spoofed as Ring in an attempt to steal customers’ sensitive information. Cybercriminals start this attack by sending you a phishing email with an HTML file attached. The email…

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  • Homoglyphs and Unicodes (No, not Unicorns)

    You may be wondering what homoglyphs and Unicodes are. Homoglyphs are letters or characters that look similar. For example, the character “e” looks like the character “ė.” Unicode is a unique code assigned to characters so that any platform or program can understand them. For example, the Unicode for “e” is U+0065, and the Unicode…

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