Ready For College? Cyber-Smart Tips For Students
August 27, 2024
As students rev-up for college (or any school these days), cybercriminals are getting ready, too. College students are ripe targets for device theft, malware infections, email phishing, and a whole lot more. After all, a lot of school is completed on a digital device these days. Below are some cyber-smart tips for you and all students before leaving for school.
High-Risk of Loss and Theft
A thief who steals an unlocked device can quickly overtake your accounts (ATO). Getting those accounts back in your name is complicated and time consuming. So, it’s best to secure your device ahead of time with an activated lock code and laptop security lock. These may operate similarly to a bike cable lock, but may also be a device you attach to your computer and to a table. While not 100% effective, they are most certainly a deterrent.
Keeping It Clean
Run a disc drive clean on devices to optimize speed and free-up storage. Make sure all software is up to date, including apps. If the device is still running slow, it could be due to a malware infection or corrupted software. Have a professional take a look at it to make sure it’s college ready before taking off for school.
Beware of stray flash drives and charging cables lying around, especially in high-traffic areas. Cybercrooks leave them intentionally hoping someone will use them. They’re likely infected with malware and plugging one in will infect your device and make it ripe for cybercrimes.
Install and update anti-malware/anti-virus software on all devices. This includes smartphones and tablets. Install the updates as soon as possible or even better, set the services to auto update and take that task off your hands.
All-Purpose Cyber-Smart Tips
Beware of email, text, and phone phishing. Cybercriminals easily obtain personal info for phishing attacks.
- Use unique, strong passwords for every account that are a minimum of eight characters and a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Consider using a password manager, but be aware that if someone breaches the password manager, they may also have access to ALL of your passwords.
- Use 2FA/MFA when available for all accounts. It’s an added layer of identity assurance, including for stolen passwords.
- Use a virtual private network (VPN) especially when using shared or public Wi-Fi.
- Backup important files, including schoolwork. Who wants to rewrite that history paper just because malware infected the device and is holding it hostage?
Unfortunately, cybercrooks put targets on college students, and in a new environment, students have a lot of things demanding their attention. So, make sure devices are as safe as they can be—it’s one less thing to worry about.
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