Since 2004, October has been designated as Cybersecurity Awareness Month in the United States in an effort to raise awareness of the potential risks of Internet scams and hacking. Fordham’s IT department is responsible for the health and safety of the university’s technology and managing its security across multiple platforms.
“Students are often a vulnerable target for various types of cyberattacks due to their sometimes limited awareness of the risks involved. Being informed about cybersecurity is crucial for several reasons,” said Katherine Morris, IT’s communications manager.
“[Firstly], personal safety. Students store a lot of personal information on their devices, which could be compromised. Academic work could be lost or stolen, impacting grades and academic records.”
Additionally, Morris warned students of the risks regarding their financial information, which many students log and save on their personal devices.
“Many students manage their finances online, making them susceptible to financial fraud,” she said.
For those looking for a career in cybersecurity, being aware of Internet safety is the first step.
The IT department sees two types of online attacks in particular. The first is phishing attacks, which target students and faculty in attempts to get them to click foreign and invasive links. The second is social engineering, which “manipulate[s] individuals into divulging confidential information.”
“With the advent of generative artificial intelligence, we see a significant uptick in well-formed social engineering attacks and business email compromises via email,” said Morris.
The IT department posts almost daily on their blog which includes “articles and content about the importance of strong passwords,” as well as “how to secure mobile devices, how to backup files to OneDrive, secure networks, multi-factor authentication and safe browsing habits,” said Morris.
There was an additional influx of informational content sent to students during the month of October, but IT is always sending cautionary emails to remind students and faculty to remain vigilant online.
Faculty recently underwent a security awareness training module, where they “engaged in a very successful phishing simulation to ensure that the folks serving the students have a keen eye and sufficient knowledge to recognize and thwart email-borne risks,” said Morris.
For any and all issues related to cybersecurity, information technology and online security, the IT department can be reached at [email protected], their phone number 718-817-3999 or their walk-in centers at JMCC 266 and Lowenstein SL18. Their services are available to all students.
