AI is making scams more convincing, but proven cybersecurity practices remain essential. In a recent article, Heather Ceylan, Chief Information Security Officer at Box, shares 10 practical ways to protect yourself, including securing your email, using a password manager, enabling passkeys, and keeping software updated.
These practices are also reflected in the security measures ITS has implemented to protect the W&L community. Many of the same steps can help protect your personal accounts and devices.
Protect your email. Your primary email account can be the gateway to your other accounts because it’s often used for password resets and security alerts. At W&L, Abnormal AI and our security awareness program help identify email threats and reinforce habits that help community members recognize suspicious messages. For personal email, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), review your recovery information, and check for unfamiliar sign-ins.
Use a password manager. Reusing passwords across accounts creates unnecessary risk. W&L provides Keeper to help community members manage W&L passwords securely. A personal password manager can also simplify sharing access to family accounts without sending passwords through email or text. Consider Keeper’s personal offering or another reputable password manager for your household.
Strengthen account authentication. In 2025, W&L discontinued SMS text-message authentication for employees using Duo, moving to stronger methods. For personal accounts, enable MFA wherever possible. When supported, consider using passkeys, which offer a convenient, phishing-resistant way to sign in.
Keep software updated. Security updates address vulnerabilities that attackers may exploit. ITS uses managed and automated updates to help protect university devices and applications. At the end of October, our Networking team applied vendor-released updates to address two critical vulnerabilities, reinforcing the importance of keeping systems current. At home, enable automatic updates for your computer, phone, browser, and apps. Don’t overlook your home Wi-Fi router and connected smart devices.
A few minutes spent strengthening your account security now can save significant time, money, and stress later. Start with your personal email: use a unique password, enable MFA or set up a passkey if supported, and confirm your recovery information is current.
