Makerere University

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Email Security.

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As we continue to share with your insights on various ICT aspects. Security remains a key area where we need to keep reminding ourselves about key things that need to be done.

One of the most important computing tools we have and use is the electronic mail. Almost every person has an email and that clearly gives them digital Identity. Because a lot of communication happens over the digital space, emails continue to remain a viable point of attack for cyber criminals. As DICTS we do have a filtering and monitoring system that can tell if an email is a SPAM however security is never 99% because there are emails that come with the "legitimate tag" and those are the ones that can hit so bad.

Someone can masquerade to be sending emails using an account you know that you normally communicate with, they can send attachments and if downloaded, they could have access to your account and also access to the network. Such emails come with threatening messages about different things like how your data is captured and will be exposed unless you pay a ransom.(Ransonware https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomware)

It has been noted that Cyber Criminals will stick to what works, as much as new techniques come up, they do not reinvent the will too much, they use what works and add what is called "SOCIAL ENGINEERING"( read more https://www.webroot.com/ie/en/resources/tips-articles/what-is-social-engineering)

THINGS TO DO

  • Do not subscribe to newsletters or sites you aren't sure(unsecure) of even if what they offer sounds to be too good to be true, if you are subscribed, please unsubscribe
  • Do not share your email account over social media spaces because you will expose it to so many people you don't really know unless it is a public email that is officially known but your personal email shouldn't be shared.
  • Before you click send an email, make sure you are sending email to the right person not wrong person (when it reaches the wrong person, that could be an opportunity to harvest emails)
  • Do not open emails from unknown people
  • Do not leave your passwords on "STICKY NOTES"
  • Make sure Bitdefender Antivirus is installed and also up-to-date (College systems administrators can assist on this)
  • Avoid using the same password for different purposes, that could be a window opened for an attacker to try it out on other services you use.

Note: Since users are integrating their emails onto their smart phones, we highly recommend keeping your phone UPTODATE, mobile devices also continue to be avenue that is heavily used by attackers because they know people rarely update their smart phones.

If you need make any ICT inquiry, please reach us via helpme@dicts.mak.ac.ug  or Twitter our Twitter Handle @DICTSMakerere. 

 

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