OCTOBER is National Cyber Security Awareness Month
Visit the College of Charleston’s Information Security website for things you can do to keep your personal and college information private and secure.
October has been designated National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Cyber attacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. Every day we go online to keep in touch, shop, back and work. The Department of Homeland Security has tips to stay safe online:
- Set strong passwords and don’t share them with anyone;
- Keep your operating system, browser, and other critical software optimized by installing updates;
- Maintain open dialogue with your family, friends, and community about internet safety;
- Limit the amount of personal information you post online and use privacy settings to avoid sharing information widely;
- Be cautious about what you receive or read online – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is; and
- Visit http://www.dhs.gov/StopThinkConnect to learn more about how you can help strengthen America’s cybersecurity.
For more information about National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2015, visit http://www.dhs.gov/national-cyber-security-awareness-month . For more information on DHS’s cybersecurity efforts, visit http://www.dhs.gov/topic/cybersecurity .
Protecting Yourself from Cyber Attacks
The Department of Homeland Security suggests preventative strategies you can take to avoid falling prey to malware:
- Be very careful when clicking on links in emails – when in doubt, go to the site and log on directly.
- Be very careful about opening email attachments – for example, retailers will typically NOT send emails with attachments.
- Do not give out personal information over the phone or via email unless completely certain of the legitimacy of the requestor.
- Set secure passwords and don’t share them with anyone.
- Keep your operating system, browser, anti-virus and other critical software up to date.
- Pay close attention to website URLs – malicious websites may use a variation in common spelling or different domain (i.e. .com instead of .net).
Turn off option to automatically download email attachments.
- Be suspicious of unknown links or requests sent through email or text message.
Facebook Dislike Button Scam
This is an Information Security advisory notice: be sure to avoid widespread e-scams centering on an opportunity for you to “get the new dislike” button.
Clicking on a link offering availability of a Facebook (or other) “dislike button” typically leads to bad outcomes including, but not limited to, loss of private or confidential information; installation of very undesirable malware on your computer; deluge of unwanted phone calls, emails and snail mail selling unwanted products; and the like.
If you see any email, message, or posting about a Facebook dislike button, know this is almost certainly a scam. Click on nothing, do not open any attachment, do not fill out any forms and do not forward this to your friends and/or Facebook groups. Remember: ‘If in doubt, throw it out!’
Teaching, Learning and Technology
Fall Training Camp
TLT is hosting a new faculty professional development program over fall break, called Fall Training Camp. TLT will deliver workshops on a variety of pedagogical and technological topics. Each day, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from two concurrent sessions during four daily time slots. Visit http://tlt.eventbrite.com for a full list of session offerings. Fall Training Camp will provide a flexible, conference style schedule so that you can attend the sessions that interest you while still enjoying fall break. Join us online, face-to-face, or both! Session space is limited so be sure to visit http://tlt.eventbrite.com register and secure your spot. A trophy and prizes will be awarded to the school who has the most participation.
Faculty Technology Institute
TLT is in the planning phase of the next generation FTI, The Teaching, Learning, and Technology Conference. This faculty professional development program, being held March 8-10, is designed to bring together expertise from across campus, spotlight teaching excellence, and provide a space for idea sharing and networking. To help make this a success we are seeking faculty to submit proposals to facilitate presentation and panel sessions. The proposal form can be found online at https://goo.gl/3vnHUl and is due by November 5.