This October, we’re celebrating Cyber Security Awareness Month, a global initiative which aims to share information on how to stay safe and secure online. Not sure what ‘cyber security’ means? Cyber Security Awareness Month is the time to find out more. Everyone at the University plays an important role in keeping Royal Holloway cyber safe, and there are several ways you can get involved. Here are some useful tips to start your cyber security journey:
- Perfecting your password. A good start to cyber security is making sure you have strong passwords that protect your online accounts. Visit our password pages for guidance on creating strong passwords.
- Stay aware. From malware to phishing, there are a number of different threats to be wary of. Our page on ‘Cyber security– explained’ tells you everything you need to know.
- Report all incidents. Whether you lose your work laptop, or receive an email that doesn’t look quite right, you should let IT Services know. You can contact us here. If you feel you might have received a phishing attempt, you should always report this. You’ll find a ‘report message’ button in the Quick Access toolbar within Outlook (top right of your screen). Clicking this will send a copy of the suspected email to IT’s phishing mailbox, as well as sending it to Microsoft for analysis. If you’re ever unsure about what to do, get in touch with IT Services.
- Install software updates. Cybercriminals can use weaknesses in software to attack your devices – software updates are built to fix weaknesses, so installing them is important when prompted - on both personal and University devices.
- Keep your devices safe. Always remember to password protect and lock your laptop, phone and other devices, as well as using antivirus software to protect against cyber threats.
If you’re looking for more, why not try an interactive game, to test your knowledge? Here are a couple to take a look at:
- Interland – Be Internet Awesome
- Cyber Sprinters