Å·ÃÀAƬ

Since the start of summer, Information Technology Services has been actively monitoring the recent uptick of cyber incidents affecting all types of organizations.  Its cybersecurity team has been making improvements on email security, threat monitoring, Privileged Access Management, and user awareness in order to keep the HPU community prepared against possible threats.

One notable area of concern regarding cybersecurity is the constant rise of social engineering attacks like phishing, spam, and ransomware. With these evolving threats, it becomes evident that organizations and individuals alike must prioritize cybersecurity measures and user training/awareness.

Social engineering attacks capitalize on human psychology and behavior, making them particularly challenging to defend against solely with technical solutions. To address this issue, regular user training and awareness programs are crucial to improve HPU’s security posture. New hire security awareness training will now be implemented for all future employees. An annual security awareness training will also be administered every fall to bolster our security posture. These programs educate individuals about the tactics used by cybercriminals, helping them recognize and respond effectively to suspicious emails, links, and messages.

We have also started publishing articles in the of our self-help Knowledge Base (KB).

The articles below, for instance, explain how you can safeguard your personal information and remain vigilant against suspicious emails:

 

Raising awareness about the dangers of social engineering attacks is not a one-time effort; it requires ongoing education and updates. In addition to technical defenses like firewalls and antivirus software, a well-informed userbase acts as an essential line of defense against these threats. By fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness, organizations can significantly reduce the success rate of social engineering attacks and enhance their overall cyber resilience.

Edited by Sandra Meyer.