⇒ New or old student? The University has a page of Tips for Students.
The University offers training on information security to all staff and students. An updated Information Security Essentials course will be available to students in Learn in Semester 1, 2025-26, and will be available to staff later in 2025.
⇒ The Top 10 Information Security Tips
We all know of internet scams, but there are things that you can look out for, and actively do, to prevent being caught out. This page is a brief summary for everyone in Informatics, but it can't cover everything. There's more depth in the University pages linked above, and Informatics specific help pages are linked below. Contact information is at the end of this page.
What should I look out for?
"Phishing" is the most common kind of attack. A phishing email will pretend to be from a legitimate sender, like an organisation known to you, trying to influence you to do something or share some information. Sometimes these can be really convincing when they're based on public information or information leaks about you, and your activities such as event attendance. If in doubt, act as if it was definitely phishing, don't click on or open anything, don't engage with the email, and report it.
How can I reduce risks?
Making sure you're using the latest software on your devices makes it much harder for anyone to attack them. If you're managing any kind of device - server, laptop or mobile phone - you should turn on automatic updates and be aware that it's working. Always try to install software from 'official' sources such as where you've verified that a website is the official site of a vendor. Often if you search for popular software you can be misdirected to misleading websites and pirated software with bundled malware.
Make sure your data is backed up by storing University data on University services such as Informatics AFS, DataStore or OneDrive. You should also make sure your personal data is backed up.
Enable anti-virus software on your devices.
Mobile devices should always be encrypted. Lock them when you're not using them and never leave them unattended in public. Be aware of who is around when you unlock them. Make sure you encrypt other portable devices such as laptops, external hard drives and usb sticks.
Networks
All popular operating systems have a built-in firewall, but it may not be enabled by default. You should check and enable it so that only the remote access you expect is enabled. Although Informatics has firewall protecting it, other networks may not, and you should take particular care on public networks such as free WiFi. Using a VPN can make your use of a non-University network more secure.
Passwords
Enable MFA anywhere you can. When combined with a strong, unique password it will make any service more secure.
Don't use the same password everywhere and make sure they're strong. We require separate passwords for your DICE and University accounts. When you use the VPN, you'll also need to set a separate password for that. It might sound hard to manage all these passwords, but a password manager storing unique passwords for each service will make you more secure.
Think Before You Click!
Whether you use your own device, self-manage a University device or use a managed University device, you can keep yourself and your device safe by:
- Keep software up to date
- Use anti-virus protection
- Use strong and unique passwords
- Backup your data
- Use mobile devices safely
- Enable MFA anywhere you can
- Look out for phishing
- Make sure data is sent securely
If you think that there is any chance that you have been caught out by a scam or your account has been compromised in any way, contact Support immediately.
If you're reporting a suspicious email or asking for advice on an email, please try to use the option to "forward as an attachment". This is usually next to the 'Forward' button, but may be in a "more" menu (in Thunderbird, it's under "Message > Forward As > Attachment").
If you suspect ransomware, please follow the advice on the ransomware page.
Other related topics
- Secure disposal of devices - equipment must always be returned to School for final disposal - Disposal of Computer Equipment.