Information Security
By
Louis Morgan, CISSP
Information Security Officer
Why Bother with IT Security?
• Recent estimate - 900 million personal
computers worldwide.
• Computer hackers are out there.
• How long do you think an unprotected PC
will remain uninfected after it is connected
to the internet?
Responsible Computing @ PVAMU
Since you're using PVAMU computing resources,
you're obligated to:
• Abide by PVAMU’s University Rules, Information
Security Standards, and all relevant local, state, and
federal laws.
• Protect your computing account(s). For example:
Log out of sites that require authentication and log
off of shared computers such as those in Open
Access Labs.
Responsible Computing @ PVAMU
Don't:
• Let someone use your account (e.g., log-in
as "you“).
• Use PVAMU computing resources for illegal
purposes, or commercial activities.
Password - First Line of Defense
• Passwords, in combination with a username,
help authenticate users.
• They are the first line of defense against
unauthorized access to your computing
devices and your accounts.
• Therefore, it is important that you create
strong passwords and keep them secure
from disclosure.
Creating Strong Passwords
Strong Passwords Should Contain:
• At least 2 upper case letters (A-Z)
• At least 2 lower case letters (a-z)
• At least 2 numbers (one of which is NOT
the first or last character of the password)
• At least 2 special characters (*$#-^)
• At least 8 characters
Password Example
• Think of a phrase or sentence that's
easy for you to remember.
• Such as “Look before you leap”
• Lb4u!3@P
Protecting Your Passwords
• Don't allow websites or Internet Browsers
to "remember" your passwords.
• Use caution when typing in a password in
public, someone may be watching.
• Change your password when you suspect
that someone else may know it.
Portable Device Security
• Keep track of your portable device(s),
especially those flash drives.
• Don't leave your laptop (or other portable
device) lying around or unattended in
public areas; and store it in a safe place
(out of sight) when you're not using it.
Protecting Your Data with Encryption
You can encrypt:
• Files
• Folders
• USB/Flash Drives
•
•
•
•
Email Attachments
Images
Videos
Hard Drives
• and more...
• For more information see PVAMU encryption training…
Backing Up Your Data
• Back up anything that's important to
you.
– Papers/essays, Projects , Research data ,
Pictures, Music files, and more...
Methods:
• Save the file to your share drive.
• Save the file on a CD/DVD, flash drive, etc.
Malware
• Malware is software designed to infiltrate
and/or damage a computer system. The
most common forms of malware are:
• Viruses and Worms
• Trojan Horses, Root kits, Backdoors
• Spyware
Web Threats
• How can you avoid online threats?
– Watch out for "phishy" emails.
– Beware of fraudulent ("spoofed") websites.
– Seeing spam pop-ups or ads? Click with
caution.
Beware of Fraudulent Sites
• Pharming, a form of phishing, is becoming one of the
most popular forms of web attack. Just by typing in a
URL and visiting a website, you could be directed to a
fraudulent site.
• Before disclosing any personal information online,
– check the website certificate to make sure you're not at a
fraudulent site.
– Open the website certificate.
– Make sure the name following "Issued to" matches the
site you think you're on.
To click, or not to click?
• Web threats come in various forms, and
understandably some are more obvious than others.
Phishing attacks and pop-up downloads are easier to
detect and protect against than pharming attacks and
drive-by downloads, however one thing that will assist
in avoiding these threats is paying attention to what
you click on.
• Don't click on:
– Pop-ups or spam mail.
– Links within email that ask for your personal information.
If You Are Still Unsure
• Contact the supposed/claimed sender (e.g., your
bank or credit card company) using the contact
information on the company's official website.
• Never respond to an email requesting your
password, username, Social Security number,
credit/debit card number, or other personal
information, no matter how official it looks.
5 Ways to Protect Your Computer
• Patches/Updates
• Anti-Virus Software
• Personal Firewall - Install a third-party 'bidirectional' firewall (one that protects against
inbound and outbound threats)
• Anti-Spyware - Install an anti-spyware program,
• Caution: Free Downloads - Download only from
trusted websites (e.g., Download.com)
File Sharing & Copyright Law (DMCA)*
Be aware that file-sharing can:
• Expose your computer to malware
• Accidentally expose personal/confidential information
• Lead to copyright infringement
• Keep in mind. . . your online activity is not anonymous
and it is traceable
* The
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
THINK BEFORE
YOU CLICK!
QUESTIONS?
Contact Information
Louis Morgan
lamorgan@pvamu.edu
936-261-2126