Tips to stay safe online for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) and the Rutgers Information Security team is sharing cybersecurity best practices with the Rutgers community. This month, the team will provide resources at upcoming open enrollment fairs on various campuses, sponsor online contests, and share details on how to protect university assets and stay safe online.

To kickoff National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, below are helpful tips on how to make the internet safer and more secure from the StaySafeOnline NCSAM campaign.

OWN IT

• Limit the amount of personal information you share online.
• NEVER share University-related content (especially restricted data) on social media or unauthorized platforms.
• Delete unused apps.
• Update privacy settings on your most used services and apps.

SECURE IT

• Use strong, unique passphrases instead of passwords for personal and business accounts.
• For University accounts, enroll in Two-Step Login for added protection.
• Avoid phishing scams by validating requests for your information prior to providing it! When in doubt, contact your local IT support.
• If you feel you have been compromised, follow your local IT procedures to report the security incident. (Review the Incident Management Policy.)

PROTECT IT

• University-owned mobile devices that contain restricted data must be encrypted. (University data classified as “restricted” is not allowed on personal devices. See the Information Classification Policy.)
• Enable security controls on personal mobile devices.
• When shopping using mobile devices, remember to update applicable apps and use known retailers.
• Maintain software updates for all computing devices.
• Use secure WiFi connections.