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The goal of Cybersecurity Awareness is to ensure everyone at NSU has the knowledge necessary to act in protecting themselves, their devices, and NSU systems. Being an informed cyber citizen means you understand and can recognize phishing attempts or malicious activity in the technology world.
The Importance of Cybersecurity Training
To keep our university and user information safe, we have a few key practices in place. These practices are designed to prevent unauthorized access, ensure data integrity and promote a secure digital environment for everyone.
Security Awareness Training
Cyber threats are constantly evolving — making security a shared responsibility. This training is designed to equip you with the knowledge and practical tips needed to recognize risks, protect sensitive information and help maintain a secure environment across our university.
NSU Information Technology Services provides this training through KnowBe4. All active employees have been enrolled.
It is highly recommended for all employees to complete the training and is an essential first step in building a strong security culture. User results and completions are recorded.
If you were recently hired by the university and want to complete the training, please reach out to our IT Service Desk for assistance.
By participating in the trainings, staying alert for phishing attempts and reporting anything suspicious, you are playing a critical role in protecting our institution.
Phishing Simulations
As part of our security training efforts, monthly phishing simulation exercises are conducted. Please continue to report these as phishing using the Phish Alert Button (PAB) or forwarding to help@nsuok.edu.
These simulations are designed to help users recognize and respond appropriately to suspicious emails, reducing the risk of falling victim to real phishing attacks.
Each campaign mimics real-world tactics used by cybercriminals, offering a safe and practical way to build awareness. Users who engage with simulated phishing emails may be redirected to brief, informative training to reinforce best practices.
The goal of these simulations is not to trick you, but to help you recognize the signs of a phishing email in a low-risk environment. If you fall for a simulation, it's a learning opportunity, and you'll receive immediate feedback to help you spot a real threat next time.
Email Security
To protect against advanced threats, our department uses an email monitoring solution. This platform automatically scans incoming and outgoing emails for known threats, such as malware and spam to remediate advanced attacks.
When a threat is identified, the system can automatically quarantine or block harmful messages before they reach the user’s inbox.
Additionally, the solution logs and reports threat activity, allowing our Security Operations team to investigate and respond quickly to potential incidents.
Your NSU Account and Password
ITS and the NSU IT Service Desk will never ask you to provide your password.
If you believe your account has been compromised at any time, please change your password immediately through the Password Manager website: password.nsuok.edu
Create a Strong Password
The Do's
- Use unique passwords for different systems
- Use a phrase to help you remember your password
- Use special characters or symbols
- Substitute numbers for letters
- Use a Password Manager application to secure all login credentials
The Do Not's
- Do not use the same password for multiple accounts
- Do not create a password based on personal information
- Do not share your password with anyone
Cybersecurity Safety Tips
- Never walk away without locking or signing off your computer
- Do not share NSU related files, documents, or business information unless authorized
- Do not use your NSU Email Account for personal business or to sign up for personal accounts
- Do not write down your username and password or post this information for others to see
- Do not save personal information to an NSU computer
- Do not click on suspicious URLs, Links, Emails, or Attachments
- Ensure your software, operating systems, and browsers, and personal devices are up to date
- Perform virus scans routinely on personal devices
Symptoms of a Compromised Computer
- slow or non-responsive
- experiencing unexpected behavior such as programs popping up
- showing signs of high level of activity to the hard drive that is not the result of anything you initiated
- displaying messages on your screen that you haven't seen before
- running out of disk space unexpectedly
- unable to run a program because it doesn't have enough memory - and this hasn't happened before
- constantly crashing
- automatically communicating with external computers that you did not initiate
- receiving bounced-back emails
Avoid Phishing Attempts
Phishing is an attempt to fraudulently acquire your personal information or resources by posing as a trustworthy entity.
Examine your emails carefully! Phishing emails are the number one way hackers attempt to your steal information. Use caution when reading an email you receive from an unfamiliar sender. Use caution when downloading attachments or clicking on links within an email, as these are the most common methods used to infect your computer and email account.
Review Sender Information - Hover your mouse over the name of the Sender. A window will open and provide you the senders name and email address. Is it a legitimate NSU Email Addresses?
Subject Link Information - Read the subject line of the email carefully. Do the subject line make sense? Or does it create urgency on your part to act now?
Examine Message Information - Ask yourself if you know the sender and know about the subject information? Does the sender know you? Did they use a generic greeting? The sender of a phishing email may have your email address, but they seldom have your name. Use caution if an email was sent with a generic greeting such as "Dear Customer", "Dear Member", or "Dear Account User" . Emails sent from the NSU IT Service Desk will come from help@nsuok.edu. Emails sent from NSU Information Technology Services will come from its@nsuok.edu.
Attachments and Links - Attachments can be dangerous as they may contain malware, which can infect your device and email account. Do not open an attachment from a sender you do not know or trust. Be very caution of links that take you straight to a page to fill out personal information. This is a clear indication the email is phishing attempt.
Once you have examined the information above and suspect the email is a phishing attempt, immediately mark the email using the Phish Alert Button, or as spam and delete it from your inbox.
Watch the Phishing 101 Video
Additional Resources
LastPass: https://www.lastpass.com/hp
The Password Meter: https://howsecureismypassword.net/ shows the strength of your password
US-Cert: https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/tips
Department of Homeland Security: https://www.dhs.gov/stopthinkconnect#
Federal Trade Commission: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0060-10-things-you-can-do-avoid-fraud