Tuesday, October 1, 2019

The number of ransomware attacks in Georgia have continuously increased over the past few years. Cyber criminals are getting smarter in figuring out ways to trick people into making ransom payments, which can have significant impacts on that individual and the University.

According to FBI reports, between February 2013 and February 2016, organizations saw $2.3 billion in losses from phishing email scams alone. And it doesn’t stop there. In 2018 the U.S. saw a 269 percent increase in URL phishing detections.

We all engage in daily activities that can make us susceptible to cyber attacks. October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and now is the time to evaluate and learn how to be more cyber-secure.

Fortunately, being a conscious online citizen requires very low time commitment, and includes habits that are easily incorporated into your daily routine.

Recognize the Signs of a Phishing Email

Emails are the avenue of choice for cyber criminals, so it’s important to learn how to recognize the signs of a phishing scam.

Typically, a phishing email will try to make you panic, will have grammatical errors and typos, will want you to take action, will have a close deadline, and will threaten to remove access to a service.

When you receive an email, ask yourself:

• Who sent the email?
• Do you know the sender?
• Does the email address look odd?
• Does the email appear to be from a uga.edu email address, but have the [External Sender] label?
• Did you expect to receive an attachment or link?

If you suspect the email may be a phishing scam, do not open any attachments or links contained in the message. Remember, UGA will never ask for your MyID or password via email. You can report phishing scams by forwarding suspicious messages to abuse@uga.edu.

Use Strong Passwords and Security Questions

Never reuse the same passwords for work and personal activities. Strong passwords include at least 10 characters and a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters. Answers to your security questions shouldn't be easily guessed. If a hacker can find the answers to your security questions on your personal website or social accounts, don’t use them. 

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

The University requires you to use ArchPass, powered by Duo, to protect your UGA accounts. The two-step login process makes it harder for cyber criminals to steal your identity. The extra step helps protect your information and the University’s data. We encourage all students, faculty and staff to enroll multiple devices in ArchPass, so you always have a back-up device if your primary device is inaccessible. You should also choose to use multi-factor authentication for your personal accounts, such as banking or social media accounts whenever possible.

Install Software Updates

Many cyber attacks rely on outdated, vulnerable software to be successful. You can keep your devices secure by installing software updates as soon as they are available.

For more tips on how to remain secure online, visit the Office of Information Security.