Cybersecurity Awareness Month–Keep Out the Digital Goblins

Each October, Northwestern IT observes Cybersecurity Awareness Month by reinforcing simple and effective online safety measures for students, faculty, and staff. The theme for this year, announced by the National Cybersecurity Alliance, is Stay Safe Online. Here are the four core ways to keep you safe from a spooky online experience.

Use Strong Passwords—Fortify Your Accounts Like a Crypt

Don’t let weak passwords haunt your accounts. Your password is a powerful asset that provides access to your Northwestern and personal accounts. Creating a password that is both strong and memorable doesn’t have to be complex. Using a passphrase, song lyric, or sentence is a good option for creating long passwords that are difficult to crack.

One of the safest places for your passwords is an encrypted password manager—a software application designed to store and manage online credentials. Northwestern is introducing 1Password as the University’s password manager for Northwestern students, faculty, and staff, with availability beginning this month. It stores passwords in an encrypted database and is protected by a master password. Using 1Password, your login credentials are auto-filled, so you don't have to remember and retype your unique passwords each time.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication—Cast a Second Layer of Protection

One spell isn’t enough to prevent bad actors from accessing your information. Nearly all Northwestern systems require you to access them using Duo Multi-factor Authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of password protection.

However, did you know that banks, credit card companies, medical providers, and other online shopping sites may also offer MFA? Keeping your login credentials safe is particularly important, as they can be used to reset passwords for different online accounts.

Recognize and Report Scams – Not Every Treat is Sweet

Be cautious of digital goblins trying to trick you into providing personal information. Universities are prime targets for phishing attempts, and Northwestern IT has security tools and resources, including methods to help recognize and avoid phishing emails, with examples of phishing attempts that have targeted Northwestern.

If you suspect a security incident has occurred, please contact your school or department's local technical support staff, the Northwestern IT Service Desk at 847-491-4357 (1-HELP), or the Information Security Office at security@northwestern.edu immediately. Learn more about reporting an incident.

Keep Software Updated – Patch the Pumpkin

Old software is like a rotting jack-o’-lantern; keep it fresh to ward off the bugs. Northwestern recommends that all students, faculty, and staff download antivirus software on their devices and enable automatic updates or app settings whenever possible, as this is the most effective and secure method.

If you prefer to make updates manually, make it a habit to check for updates regularly, install critical security updates promptly, and ensure all your software—including operating systems, browsers, and apps—receives patches to protect against vulnerabilities and make your system more stable, leading to better performance and reduced troubleshooting time. Find more tips for securing your devices.

Join the BTAA Cybersecurity Activities

The Big Ten Academic Alliance is hosting a series of thrilling weekly events in October, featuring live ethical hacking demonstrations and chilling cyber threat stories. Get ready to learn, compete, and stay cyber safe all month long. View the lineup and register. 

About Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month—observed every October—was created as a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure everyone has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online.