Information security starts with you

Stay up to date on practices, procedures and policies to limit risks and keep data and information out of the wrong hands. Here are five information security practices you can start right now, with additional specific steps and precautions listed in the menu below.

1. Beware aware of fraudulent email and texts.  Always inspect Internet search results, the websites you are visiting, all electronic communication closely and with a healthy degree of skepticism. Verify any electronic communication (email or website) you receive against that website, or, if in doubt, contact the ITS Support Center at support@colby.edu.
2. Enroll in multi-factor authentication (MFA) for sites and services, when possible. Use unique, and complex, passwords across services to prevent password re-use attacks. More information on password management may be found here. 
3. Keep your computer’s software up to date. Colby-issued computers are managed and should automatically download updates. Smartphones (iPhones and Android) are typically well prepared to manage software updates. Checking to ensure that your operating system, like Windows or Apple OS, and your web browsers (Safari, Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc) are up to date is even more important when you are working from off campus. ITS maintains a website to help you check your software update status.
4. Make sure you trust the network you are connecting to. Computers, smartphones and tablets are vulnerable to nearby devices on the network – wired and wireless. There is a big difference between your home network, which often consists of devices you also own and trust, and a public network like a library or a cafe. If you must connect to a public or otherwise untrusted network, use the Colby VPN service to securely encrypt your network traffic. You can use the VPN anytime, from any network, to provide a higher level of security for your computer’s network connection.
5. Exercise caution on computers or devices you do not own. Working remotely can increase your mobility and the devices you use to connect to online resources. If you are on a home or public computer, especially one you do not own, be careful when accessing personal information such as email, banking or any web sites that require you to log in. If you must enter an account and password on a computer you do not trust, consider resetting the password(s) for the account(s) once you are able to access a trusted computer again.