By Matthew Sotlar / The Jambar
October marks the start of cybersecurity awareness month at Youngstown State University. Several programs and events have been planned to help inform students of the importance of cybersecurity.
Associate Director of IT Training Services Sean Melnik said cybersecurity should be a major priority for students at YSU.
“Cybersecurity is very important at YSU,” Melnik said. “It’s important to protect your student data and also your valuable student information that basically keeps your accounts secure.”
To ensure security, YSU has taken measures to prevent hackers from accessing private information, such as private passwords with special characters. Melnik stressed the importance of using one password per website.
“Never use the same password across multiple platforms,” Melnik said. “Create helpful variations of the password by simply just changing the order of the letters around or adding additional numbers or special characters.”
Using secure Wi-Fi browsers limits the risk of being hacked. Melnik said YSU’s Wi-Fi is the safest option on campus.
“Make sure that whenever you connect your devices to the network that you’re connecting to the YSU Wi-Fi. You don’t want to connect to any open Wi-Fi that you’re not familiar with. That could be a way for bad hackers to steal information from you going across their network,” Melnik said.
Throughout October, the IT Training Department and IT Security will be sending out informative emails to students to help them understand tricks hackers use to gather information. Melnik listed some of the topics that will be explained in the emails.
“Things like protecting your account, being aware of phishing scams, identifying bad hackers and information they’re trying to steal … and of course keeping your devices clean of malware and viruses … that can not only infect your system but also potentially jeopardize our network,” Melnik said.
There are a variety of scams that target both students and faculty alike. One example is phishing scams, where hackers send out emails that appear to come from reputable sources. Any students who receive a suspicious email should report it, rather than interact with it.
Melnik said while YSU’s network has systems to prevent hackers, students should still be mindful of any software they install.
“We make sure we have our security parameters in place,” Melnik said. “But, be mindful of any software that you install on your devices. For example, free is not always good. You need to be mindful of the information that those software applications might be collecting and sharing outside of your control.”
Students who need technical support can reach out to the IT Service Desk at 330-941-1595. Melnik added that the IT Training Department can also help with specific technical issues.
“If you have general questions, how do you do something in Blackboard, if you have questions about Microsoft OneDrive or your use of Microsoft Teams … the IT Training Department is here to help you utilize resources available to you as a YSU student,” Melnik said.
Students in need of the IT Training Department can email them at [email protected]. A cybersecurity workshop will be held from 1–2 p.m. Oct. 21 in Kilcawley’s Rossi Room. Students can register for the event via emails from IT Training Services.