Cybersecurity for Faculty
As the way the University System of Georgia conducts business continues to evolve, bad actors are taking advantage of the situation to not only spread misinformation through social media but also using phishing emails to obtain personal information or spread malicious software. It is imperative that we continue to be vigilant in following established policies and procedures to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, availability and security of our data, networks and critical infrastructure. At this time, we are relying more than ever on our ability to communicate and transact business electronically and virtually.
Here are a few tips to help prevent the USG from being victimized:
Obtain information from trusted sources: Some web sites are providing misinformation and serving malicious software. For official information on COVID-19, refer to: World Health Organization (WHO); Centers for Disease Control (CDC); Georgia Department of Public Health.
Check email addresses and links: Inspect web links by hovering your mouse pointer over the URL to see where it leads. Review the sender’s email address.
Beware of online requests for personal information: A COVID-19 themed email requesting personal information like your Social Security number or login information is a phishing scam. Never respond to these emails.
Watch for spelling and grammatical mistakes: If an email includes spelling, punctuation or grammar errors, it is possible this is a phishing email.
Look for generic greetings: Phishing emails are likely to use greetings like “Dear sir or madam.” These usually signal an email is not legitimate.
Avoid COVID-19 themed emails requiring an immediate response: Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency. Stop-Think-Then Click.
To report suspicious email, contact the USG Enterprise Service Center at helpdesk@usg.edu or (706)-583-2001.
Working Remotely
As colleges and universities transition to online courses and remote work because of COVID-19, here are some lessons and tips for working virtually from EDUCAUSE 2020: Tips & Lessons
Optimize working remotely, whether you’re new to remote work or not. In this article from LinkedIn, discover how to be productive and stay connected when working from home or other remote environments: Setting Yourself and Your Teams Up for Success.
The National Cyber Security Alliance: Teacher’s Guide to Student Online Safety.
Security Awareness Resources
Global Cyber Alliance: Work from Home Cybersecurity Toolkit
National Cyber Security Alliance “Stay Safe Online”: This resource provides organizations and individuals with relevant and helpful information to address security and privacy concerns surrounding the global COVID-19 outbreak.
SANS Security Awareness Resources: Working from Home Deployment Kit: Everything you need to know to create a secure work-from-home workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
SANS Security Awareness Resources: Four Simple Steps to Staying Secure
As more employees work from home, basic security measures need to be taken to protect the individual and enterprise from cyber criminals who are taking advantage of relaxed telework security practices: Security Tips for Remote Workers.
Securing Video Conferencing
BlueJeans: Videoconference trolling disrupts online meetings and classes with disturbing language or images through screen sharing. We encourage you to do everything possible to secure your meetings, participants, and data, and recommend the following methods of securing your BlueJeans meetings.
How to Secure Meetings in BlueJeans
Google Meets: Securing your Hangouts Meets (Recently rebranded Google Meets) session ensures that your meetings stay private and free of unwanted attendees.
How to Secure a Hangouts Meet Session
Zoom: “Zoombombing” is a form of trolling. Secure your meetings, participants, and data, by implementing and following methods of securing your Zoom meetings.