What KnowBe4 cybersecurity training taught me about staying safe online
I’ll be honest: cybersecurity training wasn’t exactly at the top of my to-do list, workwise, as a communications professional. But when the Information Security Office recently announced updated KnowBe4 awareness training modules, I carved out some time for it and walked away with more than I expected, and this is why you should too.
The training covers some of the most common threats people encounter online today, including how to spot phishing attempts and why the details you share on social media matter more than you think. It’s self-paced, accessible on your phone or computer, and is relevant to more than just your work life. If you’ve got 30 minutes, it’s time well spent.
Here’s what stuck with me.
Phishing is harder to spot than it used to be
I already knew the basics going in, but the training reminded me how much more sophisticated cyberattacks have become. The examples were really telling, and it reinforced that slowing down whenever something feels unexpected is always worth it — even if the message looks legitimate on the surface. If you suspect a phishing email at Rutgers, report it to abuse@rutgers.edu or contact the OIT Help Desk at 833-OIT-HELP.
AI is giving cybercriminals a serious advantage
AI tools are now being used to generate polished, personalized, and typo-free phishing messages. Cybercriminals can convincingly mimic the tone of organizations or people you trust, making the “obvious scam” much less obvious than it used to be.
What you share online matters more than you might think
There’s a section on how cybercriminals use publicly available information to build targeted attacks, and it made me reconsider some of my own habits. The idea that something as routine as a LinkedIn post could give someone enough context to craft a convincing scam is a little unsettling, but it’s worth being aware of.
Passwords: I thought I knew this one
The password module covers things we’ve heard before, but there were a few reminders worth seeing. The emphasis on “passphrases” rather than random character strings was a helpful reframe, and it reinforced why reusing passwords across accounts is so risky. Just know you can update your Rutgers NetID password at any time on the NetID Management page.
The bigger picture
The module on IT security policies at Rutgers was worth the read. Understanding why these policies exist, not just what they are, made them feel a lot less like checkboxes. Cybersecurity comes down to individual decisions, and knowing that the majority of data breaches involve human error puts that in perspective pretty quickly.
All in all, cybersecurity is one of those areas that’s constantly evolving, and the threats showing up in inboxes today look very different from what they did even a few years ago.
Take the time. Get started with the KnowBe4 awareness training modules through the Rutgers Information Security Office.
