Welcome to our eNewsletter, Spotlight on IT, where each month we spotlight a different trend or topic in the information technology world.  If you would like to receive this publication in your inbox, subscribe here.

To kick off our Cyber Security Awareness Month campaign, this edition is all about IT security.

national cyber security awareness month logo reads National Cyber Security Awareness Month October 2016 Our Shared Responsibility

Data Breaches

Passwords

Email

  • 6 in 10 UK universities have been hit by ransomware. Two thirds were hit multiple times. Here’s what we can do to help reduce the risk of these attacks.
  • According to Digital Trends, 93% of phishing emails are now ransomware.
  • At Carleton we block over 85% of all inbound email as spam or viruses.
  • How to recognize a phishing attack.

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month

Next month we will be participating in Cyber Security Awareness Month.   Our month long campaign is designed to help you better understand the cyber threats you face online and the simple steps you can take to minimize those risks.

Simple things like:

  • Knowing how to spot suspicious emails
  • Creating secure passwords
  • Keeping your computers and mobile devices safe
  • Recognizing which websites can be risky

Read more about Cyber Security Awareness Month >>

5 Things We Thought You Should Know

  1. As to be expected, each September we see a spike in stats.  Service Desk calls are up, wireless traffic is up, and web stats are up.
  2. Tapping into the resources offered by the Research Computing Services team, researchers in Systems and Computer Engineering were able cut out 68 days of predicted data processing time.
  3. Use an iPhone? Avoid data charges by turning off wifi assist.
  4. In addition to the software available on the newly upgraded student lab computers or via Carleton’s Virtual Computer Lab, student can obtain a number of software programs to install on their computers.
  5. Thrive Week, a week long series of events focused on building positive mental health for Carleton students, faculty and staff, kicks off October 3.