Most cyberattacks and data breaches occur through compromised credentials – when someone gains access to your account and pretends to be you. Although cyber-attacks can’t be seen, they happen every day. It is important to protect yourself and UWM.

With October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, here are some tips on how to stay safe online:

• Lock phones: Whether it’s a PIN, fingerprint or face recognition, be sure to use the lock feature found on every phone. Mobile phones have become the central hub for all our information, so be sure to use this safety feature in case it’s lost or stolen.

• Create strong passwords: Try to use a sentence or phrase that is easy to remember. Then think of ways  some of the words can be spelled differently with symbols and numbers, such as replacing an ‘s’ with a ‘$.’ Also, try to refrain from using the same password for every platform. If the same password is used, and an account is compromised, any other account with that password could be compromised as well.

• Think before clicking: Many online threats come from phishing or online scams, urging you to click a button or follow a link and reveal sensitive information. Always double check who the request is from and look for indicators such as spelling errors and language of extreme urgency.

• Multi-Factor Authentication: MFA is one of the best defenses against cyber attacks. By using something you know (username & password) with something you have (a device) two levels of security are used to confirm your identity. MFA is now a standard security measure across the world, and is most commonly associated with online banking. MFA is now required for UWM faculty and staff to help protect their data and the University. To learn more about MFA, visit the UWM Multi-Factor Authentication page.

For more information on cybersecurity, please visit the UWM cybersecurity website.