Cyber Security Month: Tips of the week

In honor of Cyber Security Awareness month, the IT department has been working to bring you helpful tips, tricks, and reminders to keep you and your personal information safe. Here, we take a more in-depth look at some of the tips we've provided.

1. Filter What You Post

Employers are looking into social media more and more everyday. Whatever you post today has the potential to affect your future career and reputation. Remember, there is no ‘Delete’ button on the Internet! Share with care, if a post or picture is deleted from your profile even seconds after posting it, chances are someone still saw it. Even the ever so popular "Finsta," short for "fake Instagram" is not a valid form of privacy. Followers of the account have the ability to screenshot posts, send your posts to other friends via direct message, or even just pulling up your account in person.

2. Update Your Privacy Settings


Set your privacy and security settings to your comfort level for information sharing. Disable geotagging, which allows anyone to see where you are—and where you aren’t—at any given time. Geotagging can be used to collect your information for marketing, sales, and many other purposes. Many apps track your location in the background even when you're not using them!



3. Stay Away From Strangers

Connect only with people you trust! Most social networks are a journal of your personal information. They display your name, your friends, your likes and interests, locations you've been, and even workplaces and personal addresses. While some social networks might seem safer for connecting because of the limited personal information shared through them, keep your connections to people you know and trust.

4. Limit Personal Information

Because social networks display the information previously discussed, limit what information you post on social media. From personal addresses to where you like to grab coffee, most people treat their accounts like an autobiography. What you may not realize is that these details are all that criminals need to know to target you.



5. Speak up!

Speak up if you’re uncomfortable! If a friend posts something about you that makes you uncomfortable, let them know. Likewise, stay open-minded if a friend approaches you because something you’ve posted makes them uncomfortable. People have different tolerances for how much the world knows about them, and it is important to respect those differences. Don’t hesitate to report any instance of cyberbullying you see.

Tyler Parker
Social Media & Marketing Student Assistant 
Web & Digital Strategies

Check-ups are for More Than Just Colds

When was the last time you had a check up? You've probably had a medical check up within the few months for something minor. Chances are when you read check up you assumed that's what I meant. But, when was the last time you did a security or privacy check up on social media? Check-ups are an important way to make sure everything is working properly and actions don't need to be taken, both physically and virtually.  Facebook in particular has a great check-up system in place to make sure your settings are what you are comfortable with. There are 3 areas in particular to be careful with on Facebook that the check up covers.

The first area is your privacy. This covers who can see your future posts and your previous posts. Knowing who has access to what you have on your account is vital. What you might show to your best friend is probably different from what you would show your coworkers or future employer.

The next area is your photos. Not every picture taken should be posted to everyone on social media. An easy way to limit who has access is to change your audience. This could be making it so only your friends or custom groups can see those unflattering pictures.

The third area is your profile. Depending on how you have your account set up, you could have a lot of information on your profile. Overall, what do you want the public and your friends seeing. This can also go a step farther with who can look you up or contact you on Facebook. Always make sure that you are comfortable with who it's available for.

Take the Facebook privacy check-up by clicking here!

Managing Social Media for Young Professionals

In today's society, it's difficult to find someone who isn't involved in social media in some way. Social media is a great tool for connecting with others about what is going on in our day to day lives. However, many times we don't really think about the effect a simple post can have on our future careers. Employers are looking into how we act on our social media accounts, because it lets them know how you act outside the magnifying glass of interviews and applications. At this point in our lives our focus is on getting the career we've been working on, so make sure your social media past isn't interfering with it. 

Think First

Before clicking "post" on that hilarious meme or fantastic picture of how you spent your Saturday night, take a second to think. Who do you want to see that picture? Better yet, think about who you don't want to see the picture because once it's posted it can't be fully taken down. Think about how your online decisions can influence other's opinions of you. Always THINK: T - is it true? H - is it helpful? I - is it inspiring? N - is it necessary? K - is it kind?

Think Privacy

One way to protect yourself from potential problems is through privacy restrictions. This can be limiting what the public has access to through to show to only "friends". This is very common and a great way to start limiting what people can see. You also might have managers or colleagues on your social media accounts. While you might have a great working relationship, they probably don't need access to everything you post. Taking advantage of custom privacy settings is a great way to remain friends with coworkers and still have freedom to post. 

Think Branding

Social media accounts typically are an accurate depiction on our personalities and how we spend our time. That being said, how we represent ourselves through these accounts are vital. You want employers to see you as a competent individual that will be a great investment, not someone who could embarrass the business. Doing routine checks periodically of what other are posting about you is a great start. The next step would be removing any questionable content that could hurt you. Instead, focus on positive or career centered stories that show you are connected to more than just the latest hit on Netflix. Overall, you have to manage your own online identity.

Was Your Facebook Hacked?

Did you know that Facebook had a major breach on September 25th? Chances are you didn't know about the breach. The majority of the publicity around the breach was on social media's like Twitter rather than Facebook itself. However, Facebook came out and stated on last Friday that it would let those affected by the breach know. It's unclear how much information was provided to users, so I'm going to educate you on what happened, how to tell, and what to do.

What Happened?

Overall, Facebook is saying that the issue happened because of some vulnerabilities in their codes and software. While this is one issue, it has been found that there are 3 particular ways they gained access to the accounts. The first one targets those who use Facebook to log into other apps, like Spotify or Instagram. The second was through a program that allows for easy video-uploading for birthdays. The third weak point in Facebook was through the "View As" feature, ironically meant for better safety. While each is different, they added to the problem in a big way. The majority of the issue was caused by "digital keys" utilized in these actions to allow access. As the result the hackers tried to collect people's private information, but it's unclear what/how much was collected.

Have you been hacked?

The easy way to tell if your account was part of the breach was being logged out of your account last Friday. However, this can be difficult, according to Kate O'Flaherty at Forbes, because an additional 40 million accounts not hacked were logged out for additional safety. Facebook also stated that they would leave a notification for those affected at the top of their News Feed. If you have used any of the features mentioned, but are uncertain if you were included in the hack, it's best to assume you were and continue with the safety precautions.

What should you do now?

At this point the main focus is towards prevention in the future. Facebook has went in and "solved" the issues through shutting down the options until it can be completely secured. That leave the next steps to the end users. While not "necessary" according to Facebook, it's highly suggested that users change their passwords for their account and any similar passwords for any other accounts. You should also enable two-factor authentication found in the settings to increase your security. Next we suggest to log out of other apps or accounts that you're using through Facebook. To do this go into "apps and websites", then "logged in using Facebook". Overall, the issue has been handled, but it's best to be cautious anyway.

IT Social Media Contest!

NCSAM 2018 – Social Media Contest

“Information Security” 

September 15 - October 15 

Win an iPad as first prize!

In celebration of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the Information Security team is hosting its second contest in search of information security awareness social media posts developed by college students for the campus community. The content of the posts will be featured on the university’s communication channels, including websites, social media etc. Winners will be notified by October 31, 2018. For more information go to the Information Security Tile on Hornet 365.

Purpose:

The objective of this contest is for students to develop a social media post explaining one or more information security problems and providing suggestions for specific actions university students, faculty and staff can take to safeguard their computers, mobile devices or personal information. Positive, action-oriented messages are highly recommended, as the goal should be to motivate a change in behavior on campus.

Prizes:

1^st Prize: iPad mini

2^nd Prize: Bluetooth headphones

3^rd Prize: home speaker system

General rules:

Submitter must be a currently enrolled ESU student.

·        Group work submitted by a team of students will be admitted, however, only the submitter can claim the prize (prize cannot be split).

·        Outside, professional and faculty/staff assistance is not permitted. The use of university resources, e.g. cameras, videography equipment, specialized software etc. is not permitted, with the exception of lab computers and laptops.

·        All submissions must be original and not infringe upon any copyright, trademark or other proprietary right.

·        Submissions must fulfill all requirements outlined below and be submitted by submission deadline (Monday, October 15, 2018, 11:59 p.m.)

Share with Care on Social Media

The majority of the population, especially that on college campuses use social media. Whether it’s to keep up with family and friends at home or to connect with those new friends at college, it’s important to remember to keep yourself safe. Being safe online in general is key but Particularly when using social media since many people forget the possible dangers of social media.

Here are a few quick tips to stay protected on social media:

Strong passwords

The key step in any security is making sure your account is locked down with strong and secure password. Always make sure you are the only one with access to that password, always air of the side of caution. Also, remember to have distinct passwords for each individual account, that way if one account is hacked the rest of your accounts are protected. A distinctive password should be easy to remember but challenging for others to guess. Good examples of passwords include sentences with a combination of numbers, special characters, upper-case, and lower-case letters. Each additional detail will make your password more secure. 

Never share personal information

          While it should go without saying, sometimes we all need a reminder to be cautious about what we post to social media. Always protect your personal information and never give information that can be used to access any personal accounts. It’s surprising how one bit of information, like an email address, could be used to access a wide variety of accounts, such as social media, email accounts, or even bank accounts. Never share your email address, passwords, account information, or social security number with anyone and especially not any social media. 

Don't over share

           We all have exciting events happening in our lives, whether it’s a new home or trip it’s important to hold back key information. When it comes to a new home, avoid posting the address and try limiting the pictures taken outside of your home. While you may want your personal friends or family to have that information, you shouldn’t give it out to all of the others on your social media. Taking a vacation is an exciting event but if shared inappropriately it can put you at risk. Allowing others to know when you won’t be home can open the door for robberies. Therefore, wait until you are safely back at home before posting those amazing vacation shots. 

Be careful who you accept

            The easiest step in protecting your social media accounts from potential threats is being mindful of who you accept or allow to follow you. While we all want to have a lot of “friends” on social media, you need to make sure they are people you actually know and don’t want to do harm. Many times, hackers will use pictures and information to create a phony account to gather information from those that accept it. Hackers will even make an identical account to someone and add all of the friends of that person. They do this so it appears that you are receiving a request from someone you know and accept without thought. Therefore, always verify that you know the individual and if the request is for a duplicate account reach out to the person off of social media to find out if they really did make a new account. 

Be careful about links you click 

           A major threat in our cyber world today is malware, which is used to collect personal information from unsuspecting individuals. While this is common is email attacks, it is always being found increasingly in social media. Once a malicious link is clicked it will lead to a fake site that may look authentic. Next the victim will be asked to insert their sensitive information, which will be stored and used against them. One way to avoid this happening to you is to always check if the link is from a reputable source and if the destination matches the given IP address for it. In order to check the destination, simply hold your cursor over the address without clicking on it. If there is any indication that the link may be harmful, do not click it!


Learn more by visiting hornet.emporia.edu and clicking on the "Information Security" tile. Have a great fall semester!

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-Brian Osbourn, Director, Web & Digital Strategies