Baylor ITS Calls for Continued Vigilance as AI Impacts Cybersecurity

For the twentieth year, Baylor University is participating in the nationwide effort to encourage best practices in cybersecurity throughout October, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. As a Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion, Baylor Information Technology Services will feature a comprehensive public awareness campaign to encourage vigilance in the face of new challenges in cybersecurity created by AI-empowered cybercriminals leveraging the same tactics with an entirely new toolset.

“AI is the most revolutionary technological shift since the advent of the Internet,” said Jon Allen, Chief Information Officer and Chief Information Security Officer at Baylor University. “Just as unjust actors leveraged the Internet to spread malware and viruses, today’s cybercriminals are leveraging AI to enhance the speed and scale at which they can exploit systems, harvest and aggregate personally identifiable information, and carry out highly sophisticated social engineering campaigns.”

The best protection against these tactics is heightened vigilance and consistent observation of cybersecurity best practices, including:

• Using passphrases that are 16-20 characters long, memorable to you, and contain different combinations of characters and spaces.
• Leveraging multifactor authentication.
• Remaining alert for messages designed to compel you to provide sensitive personal information.
• Heightening awareness of voice calls pretending to be from a family member, friend, or colleague.
• Assessing the legitimacy of email or web-based offers and advertisements
• Running the latest versions of operating system and other software
• Being aware of data being sent and received over publicly available networks
• Maintaining backups of important data
• Shielding personally identifiable information, particularly on socialized platforms
• Using caution when clicking links in email or text messages

Baylor faculty and staff will be required to complete cybersecurity training provided by the SANS Institute through Baylor’s Ignite system. This year’s cybersecurity training will become available on Monday, October 5, 2026, and must be completed by Friday, October 23, 2026. Completing annual training is required by Baylor’s cybersecurity insurance policy. Maintaining a cybersecurity-aware community enhances the protection around the university’s vital information resources and your personal information.

Anyone in the Baylor community who receives a message that appears to be criminal in nature should forward the message to Baylor’s cybersecurity team at abuse@baylor.edu for investigation. If you believe you’ve been a victim of any form of cyberattack, contact HelpDesk+ in person on the main floor of Moody Memorial Library, by phone at (254) 710-4357, or using HelpDesk+ Chat at helpdesk.baylor.edu.

For additional cybersecurity information, visit its.web.baylor.edu/bearaware.