#BeCyberSmart
OWN IT. SECURE IT. PROTECT IT.
What does it really means to #BeCyberSmart in this day and age?
We sat down with Jonathan Wince and Erin Plese from NAU’s Information Technology Services to talk us through the three things we can do RIGHT NOW to better protect ourselves and our information.
1) Enroll in multi-factor authentication
Two-Step Verification is added to the normal login process as an important layer of security. Most Two-Step Verification processes work by sending a text message to your phone with a unique code that must be entered to log in or you must approve a login on your mobile device.
Many email providers, social networks, and banking institutions utilize Two-Step Verification methods. NAU uses Duo Two-Step Verification.
2) Change your password
The biggest cybersecurity threats facing our community — data breeches and password exposure.
Do you have one password for everything? Don’t worry, most of us fall into this category. As humans we tend to reutilize our passwords in many locations.
When you set up new accounts make them unique and don’t reutilize passwords.
Our advice — make your password long.
Even better — make your password a nonsense phrase.
If your letter combinations are not in the dictionary, your phrases are not in published literature, and none of it is grammatically correct, they will be harder to crack.
🚫 Avoid using personal information 🚫
If information about you is easily discoverable (i.e. information your social media profile may include your birthday, anniversary, relatives’ and pets’ names ) — do NOT include them in your password. These make your password easier to guess.
3) Check your privacy connections
Your apps are leaking more information that you may realize.
Decide whether or not your app needs to know your location.
When apps ask you those security questions like your first dogs name or your mom’s maiden name, those are knowledge based questions and in a breach could be hacked.
