Cyber Safety Awareness

The University of Alabama Parent & Family Programs

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month

Did you know that college students are considered a top target for cyber hacking? Share these tips with your student to help keep their information safe online.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a form of social engineering that uses emails or websites to pose as a trustworthy organization in order to access data. Students often receive emails of false scholarships, internships or job offers that are actually tactics to steal data.

Don’t Get Hooked

Look at the From Email Address. Check to see it’s from @ua.edu and not a false site.
Hover over a link in an email to see the URL before you click.
Watch for poor spelling and grammar.
Beware of urgent or threatening language. UA will never ask a student to “verify their account” or tell them their “account has been suspended.”

Stay Protected with Secure Passwords

Change your password every 60 to 90 days.
Do not share passwords.
Have a different password for every online account.
Longer passwords are stronger passwords, 8+ characters.

Phishing can happen anywhere: on websites, social media pages or in your student’s inbox. The Office of Information Technology’s Service Desk is here to help! Contact us at 205-348-5555 or itsd@ua.edu. Visit www.oit.ua.edu to learn more.

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