The holiday season can be a whirlwind of activity—travel, holiday events, and, for WashU students, wrapping up final exams. Amid the hustle and bustle, many in the WashU Community find themselves working or studying outside their typical environments. To help you stay secure while enjoying the season’s festivities, WashU’s Awareness, Behavior, and Culture (ABC) team has compiled these five essential cybersecurity tips and resources to support your remote work and study routines:
- Deck the Halls with Device Security
- Be mindful of physical device security, especially in airports, rideshares, and public spaces. Never leave your devices unattended—not even for a moment, like stepping away to grab your hot chocolate at the coffee shop counter.
- Enable the Find My app if you use an Apple device or Google Find My Device if you’re an Android user. These features help you track your device and remotely erase data if it is lost or stolen.
- For digital security, password managers can help securely store your credentials in one place. Additionally, backing up important work or personal data (e.g., pictures, notes, contacts) from your devices to the cloud or an external drive avoids data loss. For additional security, encrypt your external drives, too.
- Sleigh the Season with Strong Security Practices
- Use strong, unique passwords for each account, and never share your passwords with anyone. Always change the default or factory-set passwords on new devices or accounts—especially those brand-new devices you receive from your wish list!
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible for an extra layer of protection.
- Keep Your Connection Wrapped in Protection
- Avoid using unsecured public Wi-Fi. Accessing sensitive accounts (e.g., your bank) on these vulnerable connections could put your information at risk. Alternatively, use your cellular hotspot or connect to a VPN.
- Visit WashU IT’s Connect page to learn more about WashU’s VPN.
- Safeguard your holiday festivities at home by locking down your Wi-Fi with a strong password and encryption.
- Don’t Let Scammers Steal Your Cheer
- Know how to spot fake messages. Scammers love to disguise themselves as fake shipping notifications or even temp job opportunities for holiday breaks!
- Check out InfoSec’s 10 Phishing Tips and how to report with PAB! You can also stay current on common phishing schemes by following the Scam of the Month in the SECURED newsletter.
- Give Your Devices the Gift of Updates
- Just like giving your home a little holiday cheer with decorations, keep your devices merry and bright by regularly updating operating systems and software with the latest security patches.
- You can even run routine malware and adware scans to detect potential threats.
Whether you’re studying by your family’s fireplace or checking your work email during a layover, incorporating these simple steps can aid in your digital safety, leaving you free to enjoy all the season has to offer. If you have questions, contact the Office of Information Security at infosec@wustl.edu.
Wishing you a safe, secure, and productive holiday season from the ABC team at WashU!