Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Penn’s Office of Information Security and Information Systems and Computing staff welcome you back to a new 2022-2023 academic year. As you use your digital devices, whether on or off campus, please remember the following security tips:

Update your software! This is the most powerful thing you can do to protect your computing assets and sensitive data. When software is patched and up to date, it is far more difficult for hackers to break in and access sensitive data or seize control of your device. 

Install and run anti-virus software on your personal devices. Penn provides Sophos Home software for free for your personal devices. Scan for malware. If found, delete or quarantine. Update your anti-virus software with the latest definitions and schedule a scan at least once a week.

Back up your data. Backing up the data you handle ensures access to the information if your computing device was compromised or lost. Keep backups on separate devices and store backups offline to help recover from data corruption. 

Use the Penn VPN to access sensitive data when working remotely, or when using secured services that require an on-campus IP address.  

Use a password manager to prevent the reuse of passwords. Penn’s supported password manager, LastPass, provides secure, centralized storage for passwords and other information, such as security questions. It allows you to use one password to access your saved passwords and generates multiple complex passwords. It also supports the use of Two-Step Verification. 

Verify information before you act. Avoid trusting everything you see and read online. Malicious individuals use techniques like phishing, phone scams, infected USB drives, and impersonation to gain your trust to lure you into sharing sensitive information. For additional information on these useful protective practices, contact your IT support staff and visit:

Secure backup best practices at https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/backup. 

Sophos Home Anti-virus at https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/sophos-home. 

Information Security Tips for staff at https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/staff. 

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead.