Use a Firewall and VPN Whenever Possible

April 25th, Tip of the Week  | Firewalls help keep hackers from using your device to send out your personal information without your permission. While antivirus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for attempts to access your system and blocking communications with sources you don’t permit. While accessing public Wi-Fi, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep your data private. Stay Safe Online has a link to recommended VPN options.

External Email Alert

April 18th, Tip of the Week  | Cyber criminals work to trick you into interacting with them, hoping you’ll make a mistake. Always keep an eye out for phish emails. Be sure to pay attention to W&L’s “External” warning for emails that originate outside the wlu.edu domain. You can also check out our phish alert page to see current examples of phish emails targeting campus.

Consider Setting Up Wi-Fi Guest Accounts

April 11th, Tip of the Week  | Most modern wireless routers have an option available to create guest accounts. When friends and family visit, your guest account can give them access your home internet connection, but prevent them from being able to access network resources like shared folders, printers or smart home devices.

Beware of Fraudulent Duo Prompts

April 4th, Tip of the Week  | It is being reported that a new type of attack exploits some Duo multifactor authentication options.  It starts with a phish email and a generic subject, such as “An important message from…”. The email contains a link taking users to a fake login page designed to trick you into compromising both your university credentials AND your Duo passcode.  Always inspect pages and links before entering your information. For additional details, please see the following post by Boston University ITS.