Information security and data privacy are essential to everything we do at Pace University. With recent events in the news, we know you have questions and concerns. There is going to be a tremendous amount of false information spread on the Internet. Do not trust or rely on information from new, unknown or random social media accounts, such as posts on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Many accounts on these sites were created for the sole purpose of putting out fake information. Instead, follow only well-known trusted news sources who verify the authenticity of information before they broadcast it.
At Pace we must continue to focus on the fundamentals that are key to protecting both yourself at home and at work. While the sense of urgency may have changed, how cyber attackers target us has not.
Below are some fundamentals to educate yourself on what to look for so that you do not become a victim.
Beware of Phishing Emails
Beware of Phishing and related scams where cyber attackers attempt to trick or fool you into doing something you should not do. Often these scams are sent as emails, but they can also try to trick you by text messaging, phone calls or on social media. Anytime someone is creating a tremendous sense of urgency and rushing you to take an action, or someone is promoting an offer that is too good to be true, this is most likely an attack.
Using A Strong Passphrase to Protect Your Identity
Strong passwords are the key to protecting your online, digital life. Make sure each of your accounts is protected by a unique, long password. The longer your password the better. To keep it simple, use passphrases, a type of password made up multiple words like honey^butter#happy1000. Whenever possible, enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on your important accounts.
UPDATING
Keep your computers, devices and apps updated and current by enabling automatic updating on all your devices. Cyber attackers are constantly looking for new vulnerabilities in the devices and software you use. Keeping them automatically updated makes sure these known weaknesses are fixed and your devices have the latest security features.
As always, stay cautious. If you receive any suspicious emails, DO NOT reply, provide any information, open any attachments, or click on any links. Instead, report it by sending the spam/phishing email as an attachment to iso@pace.edu. Then, DELETE it from your Inbox and permanently remove it from your Deleted Items folder.
To report any suspicious emails, or if you have any questions, Please email the Information Security Office at iso@pace.edu, or contact the ITS Help Desk at (914) 773-3333 (pacehelpdesk@pace.edu).