CYBERSECURITY TIPS

Protecting Sensitive Data The Information Age has brought with it the ability to share, store, and transmit data with the click of a mouse. The risky part of this equation is that storage and transmission of sensitive data across computer systems can be difficult to protect, increasing the need for vigilance. In the paper world, if a document is marked "Classified" or "Confidential", we can easily protect it by placing it face-down on our desk when someone walks by that does not have a need to know, lock it in a file cabinet when it is not being used, or [...]

Credit Card Fraud Credit card fraud is the unauthorized use of a credit or debit card, or similar payment tool (ACH, EFT, recurring charge, etc.), to fraudulently obtain money or property. Credit and debit card numbers can be stolen from unsecured websites or can be obtained in an identity theft scheme. Visit the FBI's Identity Theft webpage for additional information. Tips for Avoiding Credit Card Fraud: Don’t give out your credit card number online unless the site is secure and reputable. Sometimes a tiny icon of a padlock appears to symbolize a higher level of security to transmit data. This icon is [...]

Dear NEIT Community, NEIT is pleased to offer employees and students anti-virus software to safeguard personal devices from malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks. We have partnered with Cylance® to protect our NEIT devices, and as part of our steadfast commitment to information security, we are now happy to offer you exclusive access to the same caliber of anti-malware protection for up to 10 of your devices. Click for detailed information: https://dots.neit.edu/cylance-smart-antivirus/

  Botnet definition A botnet is a collection of internet-connected devices that an attacker has compromised. Botnets act as a force multiplier for individual attackers, cyber-criminal groups and nation-states looking to disrupt or break into their targets’ systems. Commonly used in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, botnets can also take advantage of their collective computing power to send large volumes of spam, steal credentials at scale, or spy on people and organizations. Malicious actors build botnets by infecting connected devices with malware and then managing them using a command and control server. Once an attacker has compromised a device on a [...]

What Is Ransomware? Ransomware is a special type of malware that is actively spreading across the Internet today, threatening to destroy victim’s documents and other files. Malware is software--a computer program--used to perform malicious actions. While ransomware is just one of many different types of malware, it has become very common because it is so profitable for criminals. Once ransomware infects your computer, it encrypts certain files or your entire hard drive. You are then locked out of the whole system or cannot access your important files, such as your documents or photos. The malware then informs you that the [...]