The fall of 2021 represents more than just the start of a new academic year; it’s a new beginning, and a chance to return to a more normal year at the University of Delaware. As we all have taken steps to protect and maintain our good health, it’s important to keep in mind that we need to protect the health of our technology devices as well.
Here are some ways you can help all of us:
When you arrive on campus–update your devices!
For many, it has been over a year since your work-based desktop or other devices (such as printers or digital signage) has been turned on, and this means it is in dire need of software updates and operating system updates. Take the time (which may be quite a while) to let all of the updates run before you do more with the device.
Take extra care with devices that go with you on and off campus
The best practice is to have your department’s IT Professional or UDIT manage your device, however, there are some individuals with highly specialized circumstances who manage their own technology. If you use a laptop that travels with you, or your mobile phone that is configured to access UD information, it’s especially important to take extra care to protect them.
Here’s some helpful advice to protect your personal devices:
- Configure laptops with a strong login password, and perhaps a power-on boot password,
- Set up your mobile phone with a strong login password so that any time it’s started or comes out of sleep mode, it requires authentication. For some devices, biometric authentication such as fingerprints and facial recognition can be used as well.
- Set your laptop to enter sleep or hibernation mode after only a few minutes, and require a password to wake it up. This will both save energy and limit the chances of someone walking away with it and using it with your credentials.
- Encrypt any mobile phone or laptop computer to make sure that your data isn’t readable in the event the device is stolen.
Have a new device?
Many may be bringing new mobile devices on campus for the first time. As part of making your new phone or tablet work well and securely on campus, take the time to configure it for our approved UD services:
- WiFi – Follow the instructions at https://services.udel.edu/TDClient/32/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=99 to configure your device for the EDUROAM network, which will offer the most secure and versatile access to campus resources.
- Some on-campus systems require a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access systems. See how to set that up at https://services.udel.edu/TDClient/32/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=113.
- If you will be accessing a UD email account (whether Gmail or Office 365) from your device, see https://www1.udel.edu/mail/ for setup options.
- Set up Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) on your device to help prevent unauthorized access to your files. Instructions can be found at https://services.udel.edu/TDClient/32/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=225.
- To make it easier to enter Multi-factor Identification codes, you can use Google Authenticator to quickly generate a 2FA (two-factor authentication) code when needed. See https://services.udel.edu/TDClient/32/Portal/KB/ArticleDet?ID=4.
Report suspicious emails to reportaphish@udel.edu
The Covid epidemic, and the need to work and learn from home, has encouraged a new boldness in the attacks on user information, privacy, and internet functionality. As you may have read in our Understanding Social Engineering article, humans are the most targeted and most important component in the efforts to protect our data. So, stay vigilant, and if you receive an email suspiciously requesting your information or actions, don’t reply to it or click anything in it – instead, forward it to reportaphish@udel.edu. We can tell you whether it is safe or dangerous. It is always better to play it safe.
By taking the time to ensure all of the devices you use – on campus and off, old and new – are running with the most current software and security updates, you can make a big difference in protecting the University from cyber attacks.