You wouldn’t leave your wallet, laptop, or jewelry unprotected on your front porch for thieves to steal, would you? Of course not! Yet, when it comes to our digital identities — one of our most valuable assets — we often don’t exercise the same care and precaution.

Bad actors are masters at finding weak spots in your online habits to gain access to your data and devices. They often do this through compromised user credentials and phishing attacks. Once your login information has been compromised, your other accounts and contacts also are at risk, especially if you reuse passwords. With just a few basic cybersecurity habits — good password practices, multifactor authentication, network security, etc. — you can significantly reduce the risk of digital identity theft.

If everyone does their part, the University of Utah and University of Utah Health will be safer and more secure for our students, patients, faculty, staff, and guests.

Do your part. Be cyber smart.

Learn more: Cybersecurity Awareness Month

This October, please consider taking a few moments to visit the Information Security Office’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month website and check up on your digital hygiene. Topics include:

• Back to basics: Easy ways to improve your cybersecurity
• Phishing fundamentals: 3 tips to shore up your defenses
• The risks of ransomware, and tips to prevent and handle an attack
• Your identity is under attack. Here’s how to protect it.

We’ll also be sharing tips and resources throughout the month on Twitter. Follow @uofu_iso, as well as #BeCyberSmart and #BeIdentitySmart, to join the conversation.