Refresh your knowledge! October is cybersecurity month at the university

1. Immediately inform of suspicious activity

Whenever you notice irregular activity in a university’s information system, call the University of Tartu IT helpdesk at 737 5500, send an email to [email protected] or submit a request via the IT service portal.

2. Be cautious with emails, messages and phone calls

Do not click on unfamiliar links or open suspicious attachments. Always verify the identity of the sender or caller. See the wiki for examples of phishing emails.

3. Never save your passwords in the web browser

Although saving passwords in your web browser is convenient, it significantly increases the risk of password leaks. Web browsers are easy targets for malware. Check the university’s wiki page for guidance on password storage.

4. Keep your software and systems up to date

To avoid security vulnerabilities, always install software (security) updates as soon as possible.

5. Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is automatically applied when logging into university accounts. Whenever possible, use it for your personal accounts, as well. Also, always keep personal and work accounts separate and protect them with different passwords.

6. Keep data in secure environments

You can safely store your study-related data in the university’s OneDrive and SharePoint.

7. Make backups of important data

We recommend keeping at least one copy of important files in a separate location. If something happens to one, at least one copy will remain.

8. Ensure physical security of devices and encrypt them

• Always lock your screen when leaving your computer.
• Do not leave your laptop in an unattended room.
• To prevent data from falling into the wrong hands in case of theft, it is advisable to encrypt your data (e.g. BitLocker for Windows computers, FileVault for Apple computers).

9. Regularly update your knowledge

• See the university’s wiki page on cybersecurity.
• Follow the guidelines of the Estonian Information System Authority (in Estonian) and cybersecurity advice on ITvaatlik.ee.