Overview
Learn how to reduce your cyber risk in your personal life.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has identified four key actions that anyone can take to reduce their risk of falling victim to online scams.
Four Key Points
1. Turn on MFA for all of your accounts
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to your online accounts by requiring a code or a device in addition to your password.
- It is important to add this layer of security to all your accounts to keep things such as your banking information, finances, and personal information safe.
- Duo is a great example of MFA used at the University of Oregon. You can start by making sure your personal, primary email has MFA turned on.
For more information on how to enable MFA, visit 2FA Directory.
2. Use strong and unique passwords
Passwords should use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols in order to be not easily guessed. Passphrases are a sequence of words that add a heavier protected layer of security because of their length and difficulty to replicate.
- You should also avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
- We highly recommend using passphrases when making passwords, because they are easier to remember than complex passwords.
Check how secure your passwords are at How Secure Is My Password? (Security.org).
3. Recognize and report phishing
For personal email accounts, use the built-in function for reporting junk or spam.
- Generally speaking, this feature is available by right clicking on the message and selecting the appropriate option.
- If the option is not available, the Information Security Office (ISO) recommends that you contact your email provider for instructions on how to report messages within their platform.
4. Update software, and keep it up to date
- Keep your software and devices updated with the latest security patches. This can help prevent hackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities in your system.
- Enable auto-update wherever available, including personal computers, mobile phones, tablets, smart devices, and any other device that has the option available.
References