What to Do When You See Something
by Staci Radden, OIT Cyber Analyst
This last cybersecurity awareness month article is all about incident response, and what to do when you see something suspicious. Reporting any questionable cyber activity is a way to protect UAH鈥檚 data and systems. Therefore, it is critical that we remain diligent in recognizing and reporting suspected cybersecurity threats.
What to Report
As discussed in our previous articles this month, cybersecurity risks can present in a multitude of ways, including phishing emails, malware, ransomware, social engineering (e.g., job scams & tech support scams) and much more! Such threats can jeopardize personal data and put UAH processes into disarray. A few examples of suspicious activity are included below.
Ransomware
()
Phishing Email
()
Fake Pop-Up
()
These are not the only examples of cybersecurity risks and these risks can take on a number of forms. Regardless of their appearance, any potential cybersecurity risk should be taken very seriously.
Why to Report
Have you ever tried to rationalize why you shouldn鈥檛 report a possible threat?
- 鈥淚t鈥檚 probably nothing.鈥�
- 鈥淚鈥檓 just being paranoid.鈥�
- 鈥淚鈥檓 sure someone else will report this issue.鈥�
We may feel embarrassed about clicking a link in error or worried that we caused a problem. We may be afraid that we are making a big deal about nothing and creating unnecessary alarm. However, by communicating a potential security issue, you are helping the Office of Information Technology (OIT) do its job. Your prompt reporting allows UAH鈥檚 cybersecurity team to quickly react, often preventing the incident from becoming bigger and impacting more people. The valuable information you provide can assist OIT in improving security measures, such as user education, anti-phishing tools, stronger password policies, and software updates.
How to Report
To report suspicious cyber activity, contact the OIT Help Desk at helpdesk@uah.edu or 256-824-3333. Provide them with as much information as possible, including date, time, description of the issue, and any screenshots available, as well as forwarding phishing emails.
Remember, we all play a crucial role in keeping UAH #ChargerSecure!