Stay Secure

Don't let cyber criminals get the best of you. Keep your information private by following our security tips and tricks.

Alerts & Tips

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Keep your information private and your data safe. Follow these tips to avoid common security issues.

Secure Your Computer

If your computer is not secure, you are putting not only your own work at risk but also that of others at UNM.

Following HSC standards will greatly improve the overall security of your computer. All of these measures are mandated by the HSC’s baseline IT security requirements, and they apply to all campus systems used to conduct University business. If your department has technical support staff, consult with them about preferred practices.

Secure all operating systems on your computer. If you have a Mac that runs Windows, make sure you secure both. Too often, we hear people say, “I use a Mac, so I don’t have to worry about security problems.” Not true! Every kind of computer is vulnerable to security problems.

Whether you use a Macintosh or Windows computer makes no difference for one of the biggest security problems—loss or theft of your computer.

Protect Your Identity

Identity theft is a rapidly growing threat, and it thrives on poor security practices. Your best defense is to build good security habits and encourage everyone you know to do the same. If you believe you may be the victim of identity theft, contact the UNM Campus Police at 505-277-2241 or your local community law enforcement to file a report.

Best Practices

Internet Safety

Although computers and online services have become a familiar and ordinary part of our work and daily life, the Internet has many perils.

If your computer is connected to the Internet, it is under constant attack by criminal enterprises seeking to exploit computing resources to steal information, send spam emails, distribute illicit material or attack other computers.
Scam artists attempt to trick you into giving away your money or giving away information that will let them steal your money.
Information you post on the Internet and records of sites you have visited can be used for targeted advertising and less savory purposes.

Protecting University Data

You are responsible for UNM HSC data stored on computers you use. You are the custodian of that data. Your responsibilities include the following:

Protect university property stored on computers you use, including information about patients, staff, faculty, students and alumni.
Access only information that you are authorized to access in the course of your duties. Your ability to access other information does not imply any right to view, change or share information.
Do not establish access privileges for yourself or others outside of formal approval processes.
Adhere to procedures and business rules governing access and changes to the data for which you are a custodian.

The HSC expects all stewards and custodians of its administrative data to manage, access and use this data in a manner that is consistent with the University's need for security and confidentiality. HSC administrative functional areas must develop and maintain clear and consistent procedures for access to University administrative and clinical data, as appropriate.

Working Off Campus

Risk of data exposure or password compromise increases when you use HSC services, or work with University data, off campus.

The networks you use are not controlled by HSC and may be more vulnerable to attacks.
A computer and its data are at greater risk of theft when you are traveling.
You may not have up-to-date software and full protection when using a computer that’s not your own.

Take measures to address specific risks and follow steps meant to protect your passwords and data while working off campus.

Resources

In addition to the resources provided here, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) provides security publications about many relevant topics:

Recognizing and avoiding email scams
Spyware
Virus basics

Read about these topics and more on the US-CERT Security Publications website.