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October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month:
Learn more about how to protect yourself, your computer, and UB
(October 2, 2009)

Did you know that email provides the same level of security as that of a postcard sent in the mail (USPS)? Take a look at UB's Cyber Security Awareness Month site and then answer the question: Would you send this postcard in the mail?

Information Security is everyone's responsibility. If you follow these 7 security practices from OnGuardOnline.gov, you'll help to protect your digital identity, your computer, and UB.

  1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
  2. Know who you're dealing with.
    It's simple for online scammers to impersonate a legitimate business, creating a fake Web site to lure users into entering important confidential data such as bank account details, SSNs and passwords. Recently, Gmail, AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo!, and other webmail services were all hit by a webmail phishing scam. Scam artists sent 'phishing' webmail messages to lure users to fake websites created to gain the login credentials (usernames, passwords) to the webmail accounts. Tens of thousands of illegally-acquired usernames and passwords were then posted online. Legitimate businesses never seek important confidential information via email messages to you. Read more about this 'phishing scam' (The Register).
  3. Use security software that updates automatically.
  4. Keep your operating system and Web browser up-to-date, and learn about their security features.
  5. Keep your passwords safe, secure, and strong.
  6. Back up important files.
  7. Learn what to do in an emergency.

For more information about information and computer security visit UB's new Secure Computing Web site.

Finally, visit the Google Cyber Security Awareness Channel on YouTube to view some videos on simple steps all computer users can take to help protect their computers and personal information from hackers, viruses, scam artists, and other online threats. Many of the videos were created by college and university students for National Cyber Security Awareness Month (sponsored annually by the EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task Force, the National Cyber Security Alliance, ResearchChannel, and CyberWATCH). Here are a few of the most popular videos:

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