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Common security threats

Workplace support Digital services Information security How to avoid security threats

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    • How to avoid security threats
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Browsing the internet connects you with millions of other users and computers around the world. Some of these users choose to exploit this connectivity for malicious purposes such as stealing data or manipulating IT systems.

Here are some examples of security threats, how to avoid them and how to report them.

Malware 

Spam 

Phishing 

Spyware 

FU_Security_threats1.png

Malware

Malware is any unwanted software that is installed without the user’s consent. It is used to disrupt computer operations, collect data or otherwise gain unauthorised access to computer systems.

How malware can be spread

Email: Cybercriminals are notorious for including malicious attachments and links in emails that appear to come from trusted sources.

Websites: Many websites exist which if visited will attempt to infect your computer with malware. When browsing the internet ensure that you visit only trustworthy sites.

Unsecured networks: Connecting to unknown networks can leave your device vulnerable to malware. Public wireless access points are especially insecure.

How to avoid becoming a victim
  • Install anti-malware software onto your computer and run periodic full system scans.
  • Do not open email attachments from unfamiliar sources.
  • Be cautious when browsing the web, do not visit a site which does not look legitimate.
  • Be cautious with USB drives. Do not connect unknown USB drives to your computer.
Signs of malware infection
  • Popup ads appear even when your browser is not open.
  • A security program you didn't install displays warnings.
  • Posts that you didn't write appear on your social media pages.
  • A program holds your PC for ransom.
  • Suddenly you can't use common system tools.

Contact IDS Security 

What to do if your computer is infected

For staff: 

  1. Disconnect your computer from the internet.
  2. Contact IDS Service Desk. 
  3. Change your passwords from an uninfected computer.

For students: 

  1. Install anti-malware/antivirus software to attempt to remove the malicious software. Ensure that you run a full scan of your system.
  2. If antivirus not successful disconnect computer from internet.
  3. Change your passwords from an uninfected computer.
  4. Restore – Seek malware removal servies.
FU_Security_threats4.png

Phishing

Phishing is attempting to maliciously acquire information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money) by masquerading as a trustworthy entity.

What a phishing email looks like
  • Contains unusual links
  • Asks recipient to provide personal details
  • Appears to be from a well-known organisation 
  • Official looking logos
  • Unusual attachments
  • Spelling mistakes

Report suspicious emails 

What to do if you have received one
  • Report the email.
  • DO NOT click on any links in the email.
  • DO NOT supply any personal information of any kind as a result of the email.
  • DO NOT reply to the email or attempt to contact the senders in any way.
  • DO NOT open any attachments that arrive with the email.
  • DELETE the email from your computer as soon as possible.

Report suspicious emails 

How to avoid becoming a victim
  • Delete any unsolicited email from an organisation (Flinders or otherwise) that asks you to provide sensitive personal information or account information.
  • Never click on a link in an email, always manually type website addresses into your browser/search engine instead.

Report suspicious emails 

What to do if you already clicked on a link

It is imperative that you act quickly to protect your Flinders University account.

  • Report the email.
  • Change your password immediately by visiting the Change your FAN password webpage.

Report suspicious emails 

FU_Security_threats3.png

Spam

Spamming refers to the use of electronic messaging systems (email) to indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages (spam), especially advertising.

How to recognise spam

At the University, 70-80% of our emails are rejected as spam. Although most of the spam sent to Flinders University email addresses is filtered, some of it may inadvertently slip through.

Spam can easily be identified by:

  • The email address. A long string of alphanumeric characters before the @ suggests the email is spam.
  • What comes after the @. Emails from respected companies or well-established websites will not have an email address from a provider such as accounts.flinders@gmail.com.
  • A sense of urgency. If the email demands action is taken quickly, it is a reasonable indication of spam.
  • Links within the message. A legitimate email from a respectable company would ask you to log into your account to make changes, not via an email link.
  • Grammatical and spelling errors within the email message.

Spam and phishing emails are closely linked and are often confused however may both have undesirable consequences to University and personal information.

Report suspicious emails 

How to avoid becoming a victim

Stay vigilant, do not follow links or open attachments in emails that you do not recognise.

Report suspicious emails 

What to do if you receive spam emails
  1. Report the email.
  2. Delete it from your inbox, ensuring that you do not open any attachments or follow any links within the email.

Report suspicious emails 

FU_Security_threats2.png

Spyware

Spyware gathers information about a person or organisation without their knowledge and may send this information to another entity without consent. Spyware is a form of malware.

How to avoid becoming a victim

The University maintains anti-virus and email filtering technology to minimise the likelihood of spyware infections.

You can further reduce risk of infection when using a University device by:

  • Only downloading files from reputable sources and in formats that you recognise.
  • Be security conscious, do not open email attachments from unfamiliar sources.
  • Be cautious when browsing the web, do not visit a site that does not look legitimate.
  • Trust your instincts – if it doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.
How to recognise spyware
  • New toolbars added to your browser without your knowledge.
  • Your browser navigation gets redirected.
  • Your homepage, mouse pointer or search engine changes unexpectedly.
  • Popup ads appear even when no browser is open or the internet is not connected.
  • Computer performance has noticeably declined.
What to do if your computer is infected

For staff: 

  1. Disconnect your computer from the internet.
  2. Contact IDS Service Desk. 
  3. Change your passwords from an uninfected computer.

For students: 

  1. Install anti-malware/antivirus software to attempt to remove the malicious software. Ensure that you run a full scan of your system.
  2. If antivirus not successful disconnect computer from internet.
  3. Change your passwords from an uninfected computer.
  4. Restore – Seek malware removal servies.

Reporting suspicious emails

To report a phishing email, we ask that you use the Microsoft Junk Add-in that is available on University staff computers running Microsoft Outlook on Windows and from any computer using Outlook Web Access (OWA). OWA is available from your Okta dashboard.

Step 1

Select the suspicious email in Outlook

security-incident1.png

Step 2 (for Outlook)

Click on the 'Junk' button and select the 'Report as Phishing' option

security-incident-3.png

Step 2 (for OWA)

Click on the 'Junk' button and select the 'Phishing' option

security-incident3.png

Step 3

The email will be deleted and a copy will be forwarded for analysis

security-incident-4.png

Support for digital and IT services

Opening hours: 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays

After hours or when all staff are busy you will be given an option to leave a voicemail message. Voicemails will be accessed as soon as practical during business hours otherwise you may choose to log an IT support request.

I need help...

Call 8201 2345

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Last Updated: 05 Jun 2020
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