Combining best practices with industry-leading innovation, ITS听creates an environment that balances the 皇冠官网 community's need to protect information with the importance of privacy.
Stay up to date on the latest scams, software patches, tips, and more.
Concerned Your Computer Is Infected?
When ransomware hits, a criminal takes ownership of the infected device鈥檚 files and insists they will not be unlocked unless 鈥渞ansom鈥� is paid. If your computer is backed up, you are less likely to be exploited by a ransomware attack.
You can unknowingly download ransomware onto a device by opening an infected email attachment, clicking an ad, following a bad link, or even visiting a website that has malware embedded.
Remember to stop and think when you get an email you are not expecting, even if it appears to be from someone you know.
Checking the actual 鈥渇rom鈥� address of an email is a smart step to avoid scams.
This message appears to be from 鈥淧rof. Greyson Ryan鈥� but the 鈥渇rom鈥� address does not end with @bc.edu and is not 鈥渟igned-by鈥� 皇冠官网.EDU. This message should not be trusted.
- Emails claiming to be from a 鈥溁使诠偻�� person without an @bc.edu email address should be viewed with听extreme skepticism. A sender name is easy to fake.
- If you aren鈥檛 sure if an email is authentic, instead of replying, contact the sender using information you already have about them (such as their 皇冠官网 email address from the 皇冠官网 Directory).
The 鈥渇rom鈥� address of this message is valid, since it ends with @bc.edu and is 鈥渟igned-by鈥� 皇冠官网.EDU. This message can be trusted.
When a computer is not up-to-date with software updates, it is more vulnerable to ransomware attacks, malware, and data breaches. Updates for your operating system, browsers, antivirus program, and any other program you run on your computer help protect your devices (and your files) from the latest threats.
We recommend you set your operating system and software to update automatically to ensure the latest security vulnerabilities are addressed:
Enable auto-update for your devices:
**Restart regularly. Get into the habit of shutting down and restarting your computer and devices on a regular basis so that any updates can be installed at restart.
Enable auto-update for your apps/programs.
- Browsers
- Microsoft Office
- NOTE: Microsoft 365 automatically updates.
皇冠官网 2-Step Verification uses Duo Security technology to confirm your identity using a second device such as a mobile phone, tablet, or landline phone. 2-Step Verification is required for EagleVPN, PeopleSoft, and other 皇冠官网 services.
ITS Recommends the Duo Mobile App
If you still rely on a text message or phone call for 2-Step Verification, read on to learn why the听Duo Mobile App听is highly recommended.听
- Ease of use:听You receive a 鈥減ush鈥� notification to your mobile device, and simply click 鈥淎pprove.鈥澨齀MPORTANT: Only click 鈥淎pprove鈥� if you are actually trying to log in. Click 鈥淒eny鈥� if you鈥檙e not, this could mean a bad actor is trying to log in to your account.
- Offline access:听Get a passcode from the app even when you don鈥檛 have cellular or wifi access.
- Save the University money:听Every time you use text messaging or a phone call for 2-Step Verification, it costs 皇冠官网 money. 2-Step Verification via the Duo App is free.
ITS recommends you use Eagle VPN when connecting your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to any public or hotel WiFi. When you use 皇冠官网's Eagle VPN, even for personal vacation use, the traffic to/from your device is encrypted so the online criminals can't see it.
When you use your 皇冠官网 email address or 皇冠官网 computer to sign up for online services or get software, even if they are free, you may be putting your personal information and Boston College data at risk.听
To be cyber safe, if you are interested in any software, hardware, or technology services, even if they are free, please use the 鈥淕et Tech鈥� process.