By JARRETT BROWN and MARCOS BROCH-MONFORT, NEWS3 Guest Reporter & NEWS3 Reporter
MACOMB, Illinois (NEWS3) – WIU is taking part in the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. University Technology has been making weekly presentations and sending reminders and tips through email and social media.
Chief Information Security Officer (CIO), Rebecca Slater, saids the biggest thing for everyone is to be precautious and proactive.
“The time to worry about cybersecurity is not after your device is acting funny, or your credit card has been breached. Is ahead of time,” Slaterm said.
She said that the most common attacks are scams via text messages, offering a job or requesting assistance. The attackers do extensive research to make them look very real.
“I think students are generally aware, but fall under the trap of it’s not going to happen to me.”, she said.
Slater said students should be proactive about configuring devices and using unique passwords.
“When you purchase a new device, that’s an easy one, make sure it is secure,” she said. “When you get a new phone, make sure you actually configure it, when you get a new computer, a new thermostat or a new refrigerator… everything now is interconnected.”
Slater does not think students are concerned enough about these issues.
“I do not believe students are aware of the extent that they could be putting their personal information out there, and I don’t think they’re concerned nearly enough.”
