SECURITY CONSULTING AND EDUCATION

Articles (17)

Accessing IT Services from China

University of Pittsburgh students, faculty, and staff have an international presence. They rely on access to the University’s enterprise IT services, no matter where they may be studying, teaching, or working. However, the unique regulatory and political environment in China can create challenges for members of the University community attempting to access Pitt services.

Avoiding Harmful Email, Software, and Hackers

Every day you receive email messages with attached documents, photos, or other electronic files.
Sometimes these attachments contain destructive viruses, Trojan horses, or spyware, sent intentionally by someone who intends to cause harm or steal sensitive personal information.

Avoiding Laptop and Mobile Device Theft

Laptops and other portable devices (such as tablets, smartphones, USB drives, CDs, floppy disks, etc.) are frequently stolen or lost. Remember that you should eliminate any unauthorized sensitive information from portable devices and encrypt all authorized sensitive information.

De-identifying Health Information

Identifiers That Must Be Removed to Make Health Information De-Identified

Phishing Emails: Don't Take the "Bait"

Learn how to spot and report phishing emails.

Protect Yourself from Physical Security Breaches

Sensitive documents and computer files can be vulnerable to a theft or accidental exposure if not kept physically secured.

Requesting Security Awareness and Education for Departments

The Pitt IT Security team develops and offers training and instructional programming with the latest practices and tools to help University departments increase IT security awareness.

Safe Computing Guidelines and Tips for Students

Portable devices include laptop computers, tablets, smartphones, personal digital assistants, USB (flash) drives, and CDs. These devices are frequently stolen or lost. Remember that you should eliminate any unauthorized sensitive information from portable devices and encrypt all authorized sensitive information.

Safety Tips for Social Networking

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can be a great way to connect with friends. But there are some social networking safety tips you should always keep in mind.

Security Awareness - COVID-19 Phishing Scams

Scammers often take advantage of health scares to distribute phishing scams. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spawn dozens of such campaigns, scaring recipients into clicking on harmful links or attachments in emails, text messages or social media posts.

Social Engineering and Phone Scams

Social engineering is the art of manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. Social engineering applies to trickery used for information gathering or computer access and in most cases the attacker never comes face-to-face with the victim.

Understanding and Protecting Sensitive Information

Any information that can be used to identify you or another person is sensitive information. Be advised: Sensitive information is regulated by laws and University policies and should never be stored on your computer's hard drive, on a portable device, or sent via email without proper authorization. Protecting sensitive information on University computers is the responsibility of all members of the University community.

Understanding Antivirus for University-Owned Devices

The steps on this page provide guidance for University-owned devices. For more information about personal devices, answers to frequently asked questions, guidance for IT support staff in departments, and general information about the antivirus transition, please visit our antivirus transition home page.

Understanding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is also commonly referred to as the "Buckley Amendment." It protects the rights of students by requiring controls for the creation, maintenance, and access to educational records. FERPA guarantees students access to their academic records while prohibiting unauthorized access by others.

Understanding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 ("HIPAA") was enacted to protect the privacy and security of health-related personal information. HIPAA requires institutions that store, transmit, and manage personal medical information to have control over the confidentiality, integrity and availability of this data.

Uninstall Previously University Licensed Malwarebytes Premium

How to remove Malwarebytes Premium due to end of license agreement.