ITS Encourages Baylor Community to “Please, Please, Please” Stay BearAware

Baylor’s annual BearAware cybersecurity campaign during October’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds students, faculty, and staff to make smart and safe choices online. This year’s pop princess-driven public awareness campaign includes mandatory cybersecurity training for all faculty and staff, strengthened policies around passwords, and a series of events presented by Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science.

“Last year, BaylorITS implemented a 24/7 security operations center that diligently monitors university networks and data resources, and continues to enhance cybersecurity protections on university systems,” said Jon Allen, Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Baylor University. “However, these protections can only be effective if Baylor students, faculty, and staff make cybersecurity best practices a daily habit to guard their personal information and the university’s information resources.”

In partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance, Baylor encourages everyone to “please, please, please” secure our world and stay safe online by observing the following cybersecurity best practices:

• Beware of Phishing Messages
  Cybercriminals have made things “so complicated” by sending convincing phishing messages. Avoid clicking links in email messages and report “phishy” messages to abuse@baylor.edu.
• Create Strong Passwords
  You’ll “wish your password was strong like me” because it is a 12-16 character passphrase with a combination of numbers, letters, symbols, and spaces.
• Always Use Multi-Factor Authentication
  Baylor uses Duo, and you should “really, really, really wanna” use multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Keep Your Software Up-To-Date
  ”Please, please, please” run the latest operating system and updated versions of apps on your devices.
• Backup Your Most Important Files
  Don’t catch yourself singing, “Oops! I lost it again.” Use Box, OneDrive, or another cloud-based platform to back up your important files.
• Use Virtual Private Networking Whenever Possible
  ”Tik Tok, on the clock, but…” someone steals your information. Connect to a VPN while using public WiFi networks, and always use caution when joining “free” public wireless networks.
• Use AI-based Tools Responsibly
  You may be able to “use AI with a broken heart,” but remember that AI-based platforms and Generative AI tools are still in a developmental phase. Use these powerful tools with caution.
• Beware of Mis/Disinformation
  Mis/disinformation and deepfakes “got me looking so crazy right now!” Verify messages and images before making decisions or taking action.

Since 2006, Baylor has participated in National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and is a perennial cybersecurity champion. To see and share creative assets from this year’s BearAware campaign, see past BearAware campaigns, and review important cybersecurity tips, visit its.web.baylor.edu/bearaware. To see this year’s national cybersecurity awareness campaign visit cisa.gov or staysafeonline.org.

Mandatory Faculty/Staff Training

Beginning October 21, faculty and staff will be able to complete Baylor’s annual cybersecurity training that is required as part of the university’s cybersecurity insurance. This year’s training will begin with a quiz that can exempt one or more of the required SANS Institute training modules. Cybersecurity training must be completed by November 1 to avoid losing access to the Baylor network.

Enhanced Password Security

To bolster Baylor’s cybersecurity, BaylorITS will blacklist a number of commonly used passwords so that they cannot be used on our systems. This new policy will be enforced the next time you update your password or during your next annual password reset.

BaylorITS keeps the Baylor community informed of threats through occasional BearAware Alerts. Follow @BaylorITS on Facebook for additional cybersecurity news and information. If you have cybersecurity questions or believe you are a victim of cybercrime, visit HelpDesk+ on the main floor of Moody Memorial Library or call (254) 710-4357.

School of Engineering and Computer Science Cyber Events

Throughout National Cybersecurity Awareness Month the School of Engineering and Computer Science will host a series of cybersecurity events

• October 10: Passwords and Online Security Session presented by Pat Hynan in Cashion 316 at 5:30 p.m.
• October 18: Cybersecurity Interdisciplinary Incident Response Competition
• October 24: Cyber@Baylor welcomes Nate Wright, Chief Information Security Officer of Textron (Time and Place TBD)
• October 30: Halloween Hackfest (Time TBD)
• October 31: Spooky Malware Session with Erika Leal in Cashion 316 at 5:30 p.m.

Final times, locations, and additional information about each of these will be posted at its.web.baylor.edu/bearaware.

For more information about Baylor’s BearAware cybersecurity awareness initiative, cybersecurity training, or other information technology security concerns, visit Baylor's BearAware site, HelpDesk+ on the main floor of Moody Memorial Library, or call (254) 710-4357.