Stop by the Office of Information Security’s (OIS) table in Cook Library lobby TODAY from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for treats. Plus you can try an interactive phishing quiz, and use a special service see if you have an account that’s been compromised in a data breach.
OIS offers these tips for avoiding the scary scams cybercriminals use to hack your accounts:
Don’t leave “treats” out in the open
- Keep your password private! No one at TU will ever ask you for it. Also, change your password frequently.
- Lock your computer when you’re away from it.
- Keep your computer updated with appropriate anti-virus software
- Don’t store personally identifiable info (PII) on your TU computer.
Don’t get “tricked” by phishing
Phishing emails scam you into providing sensitive info so hackers can use it to access accounts and steal identities or finances. If you’ve received a phishing email in your TU account, forward it to phishing@towson.edu, or faculty/staff can click the “report phish” button from their Outlook account on a desktop. Phishing red flags include:
- Strange or unfamiliar requests. Hackers can spoof anyone and ask for things that are out of the ordinary, like purchasing gift cards and sending the numbers in an email.
- Spelling mistakes and bad grammar. See examples at towson.edu/phishing.
- Threatening tone. Question threats of request of payment, by bitcoin or other method, to clear your name for supposed incidents that never happened.
- Unknown email address. Look closely at the sender’s email-not just the screen name.
