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Securely Studying and Working While Out and About - Easy as 1, 2, 3
As part of the Fresno State community, we enjoy the privilege of working, studying, and accessing the internet from almost any location! Whether connecting to the Bulldogs network, accessing BlackBoard or checking email while off campus, we have become a community that works and learns remotely.
In today's prevailing culture of a mobile "connect from anywhere" population, institutions have no alternative but to extend connectivity beyond and across network perimeters in support of campus IT operations. However, providing remote access to critical information systems, servers, and applications is a perilous endeavor. So what's a university to do in order to help staff, faculty, and students ensure secure remote access to IT resources? How do we protect critical assets and personal information from being compromised? Take a look at the information below to learn more.
Can you identify which behaviors might result in compromised information?
- Using use free public Wi-Fi hot spots to access institutional e-mails and documents.
- Emailing work documents to and from a personal email account.
- Using free USB charging ports available at airports and other public places.
Ready for the answer? ALL OF THE ABOVE pose a risk of compromising critical data. Here’s why:
- Public Wi-Fi hotspots not controlled by an institution are especially susceptible to compromise and data interception.
- Sending work documents from a personal email account is not a reliable method for distributing confidential or sensitive information over the Internet. Unencrypted emails are not secure and may expose sensitive information.
- Free USB charging ports may transfer viruses and malware to unsuspecting users’ devices. These infected devices end up connected to Fresno State networks, possibly spreading the virus at work.
What can I do to help ensure secure remote access?
- Secure personal devices against common threats. Remote devices should receive the same security applications and software as those found on campus.
- Faculty and staff should contact their IT Liaisons to ensure devices are protected with the latest antivirus software and data protection capabilities.
- Students may contact the DISCOVERe Hub at 278.1812 to obtain recommendations on free antivirus software.
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Users should take every reasonable precaution to ensure their remote access connections are secure from interception, eavesdropping, or misuse. To facilitate this, anyone remotely accessing campus resources for business, maintenance, or upgrade actions should use a virtual private network (VPN) provided by the institution. Staff and faculty may contact the Help Desk at 278.5000, or their college IT Liaison to use Fresno State’s VPN service.
- Use multi-factor authentication. Many external security threats can be avoided by
utilizing multi-factor authentication. Multifactor authentication is a process that requires a second method of verifying your identity (authentication), in addition to a username and password. Technology Services is in the process of deploying a 2-Step Authentication tool that will provide this extra step of security.
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