Four hot cyber topics for students:

 

Keep an eye out for MFA compromises. Do not ever give your six-digit multifactor authentication (MFA) code to anyone. Like your password, no one at LCC will ever ask you for your MFA code.

If you receive a Duo code request on your smartphone that you didn’t initiate, you need to change your password immediately! Sign into my.lcc.edu, click the person icon, and select “Manage Account,” or call the LCC Help Desk at 517-483-5221.

 

Don’t reuse passwords. Reusing passwords between sites (social media, LCC, your bank, etc.) puts your information at risk. Instead, choose a unique password for each account, and use a password manager or other secure solution to remember them all.

 

Be aware of phishing attempts. Phishing is type of scam in which a bad actor sends you a message or email to try to trick you into providing valuable data, like login credentials. Phishing usually relies on creating a sense of urgency, to get you to throw common sense out the window, and phishing emails often contain a camouflaged link or attachment that looks innocent but actually sends you to a malware-infested website.

The biggest red flag on phishing scams is the sender’s email address; always check to see who sent you an email. Legitimate communication from LCC comes from an lcc.edu email account. Remember, it’s OK to open emails and read them, but never open attachments or click on links unless you were expecting the email or are confident it is legitimate.

 

Know that fake job offers sometimes target LCC students. Over the past year, LCC students have been sent numerous phishing emails that advertise fake job openings. The emails use various subject lines, such as “Student Research Assistant Position Available,” and are sent from many accounts, including compromised LCC email addresses. Don’t fall for it! All legitimate LCC jobs can be found at jobs.lcc.edu.

If you ever receive anything you think might be a phishing email, forward it to the LCC Help Desk at lcc1@lcc.edu for investigation.

 

To learn more, check out our Information Security How-to Guides or contact the Information Security Department at lccinfosec@lcc.edu.