The holiday shopping season—beginning with Black Friday and Cyber Monday—is the busiest season for both retailers and cybercriminals. As the US government’s Computer Emergency Response Team (US-CERT) reminds us, “Online shopping has become a popular way to purchase items without the hassles of traffic and crowds. However, the Internet has unique risks, so it is important to take steps to protect yourself when shopping online.”

Make sure you're not giving away your credit card numbers, bank accounts, or identity while you're shopping online over the Thanksgiving holiday. Learn to spot and avoid crooks' favorite tools, such as fake retail websites, phishing scams, malicious “special offers,” and more.

Take action! Protect yourself and your identity this Black Friday: read the entry about holiday shopping scams in the Secure UD Threat Alerts blog.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a simple way to protect your UDelNet account and the information it contains. It helps block unauthorized access to your account by adding an extra layer of security to the traditional username-and-password login process. Over the past year, the University has been adding 2FA protection to more services (e.g., VPN in June). As of mid-November, over 8,000 members of the University community have signed up for 2FA protection.

In early February 2017, 2FA will begin protecting online HR and payroll forms that employees use to submit confidential information (bank accounts, SSNs, private contact information) and forms that students use to process certain financial aid transactions. By adding the requirement that people use 2FA to access these forms, the University is reducing the risk that students’ and employees’ financial accounts and personal information could be compromised. All UD employees are encouraged to sign up for 2FA before February 6, 2017.

Take action! Learn more about 2FA and enroll today.

Secure UD Training uses short, topical training videos to address key ideas in information security. These training videos are convenient enough to fit into a deskside lunch break or between emails. Better still, the lessons they teach are applicable both in the workplace and beyond. Employees are encouraged to complete Secure UD Training to better equip themselves to face cyber threats in their personal and professional lives.

Almost 2,500 employees have started or completed phase three of Secure UD Training, released in September. If you have not already done so, we invite you to join your colleagues in creating a culture of security awareness at UD by completing your Secure UD Training.

Take action! Complete Secure UD Training.

To better protect employee and student accounts and the information students and employees can access, the University recently strengthened the requirements for new UDelNet passwords. Passwords must now contain 12 to 30 alphanumeric or special characters. In addition, UD now checks for easily guessed passwords like "BlueHens2020." Beginning this month, the University also requires that passwords be changed every 15 months.

Take action! Learn more about strong passwords and update yours today at My UD Settings.

With the rise in account data breaches happening at email providers and online shopping websites, it's more important than ever that you do not use your UD password at other sites. Use your UD password only at UD, even if you have used your UDel email address to register at another site. Reusing your UD password at other sites increases the risk that cybercriminals will discover your password and use it to access your UDelNet account—and any personal information it contains.

Take action! Learn more about the danger of recycling your UDelNet password.

The Secure UD Threat Alerts blog provides bulletins about cyber threats seen on campus, including phishing scams targeting the University community.

Take action! Stay informed by checking the Secure UD Threat Alerts blog regularly.