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P os s ibil I T i e s
Texas A&M Information Technology
summer 2010
Crossword
for Cookies
see back page.

What’s Inside
1 Working Securely Anywhere WORKIng SeCuReLY
2 Staying Connected to Texas A&M
Using VPN to Connect
Surfing Securely on Public Wi-Fi AnYWHeRe
3 Keeping Your Information Safe
Encryption Any place can become your “office” Here on campus we rely on IT
with a computer or mobile device professionals to keep university assets
Security Tip
Using Antivirus Software and an Internet connection — at safe with a campus firewall, spam
home, on the road, or even on filters, and other security measures.
What to Do if it Happens to You
Identity Theft vacation. When using laptops or However, even the strongest campus
smart phones to work remotely, security measures can’t protect your
good IT security practices are home computer.
4 Did You Know
Keeping In Touch critical. Not only are they important (continued on Page 2)
IT Recipe to safeguard university confidential
Set Up TAMU Email Mobile information, they help protect your
Featured Service personal data as well.
Instructional Technology Services

PossibilITies Away
from the Office
During the summer months, you may be
traveling to fun vacation destinations or
working at home while classes are not in
session. We’ll tell you about technology
resources for staying productive while
away from campus or enjoying your time
off safely and securely.

If you have questions about an IT service,
please contact Help Desk Central, anytime
day or night, at 979.845.8300 or
helpdesk@tamu.edu.

Let’s get together. Use video, audio, or webconferencing to collaborate with
Tell us what you think about this newsletter
your colleagues. Learn more at iT.tamu.edu/Connecting/Conferencing.php.
by emailing tamu-it@tamu.edu.
Surfing Securely on Public Wi-Fi
staying You may enjoy the convenience of Preventive steps to stay secure

Connected
public Wi-Fi in many places including while on public Wi-Fi
cafes, airports, and hotels. But did you
know that most public Wi-Fi hotspots • Do your online banking and
using VPn to Connect are not secure? While you surf the shopping at home, not on
to Texas A&M Internet, someone nearby may be public Wi-Fi.
fishing for your dollars.
• Remember “S” for security. If logging
If you’ve ever accidentally left in to a site, look for https in the web
something at work, you know that Hackers use sniffer programs to
spy on data traveling through the address, indicating a secure site.
feeling of wishing you could be on
campus without driving back. VPN air. They can see almost anything • Use Virtual Private Network (VPN)
cannot magically transport you to the you do on public Wi-Fi — the sites to safely connect to the Texas A&M
Texas A&M campus, but using VPN is you visit, forms you complete, or Network.
like having your computer or mobile emails and instant messages you • Beware of the “Evil Twin.” Confirm
phone on campus even when you are send and receive. This information the exact spelling of the Wi-Fi network
at home, on vacation, or on the go. can be used to steal passwords and before connecting to avoid slightly
other sensitive information. misspelled fakes.
What is VPn?
To read more about how to • Encrypt confidential files to
be secure on public Wi-Fi, visit make it more difficult to steal
VPN creates a tunnel to the Texas
url.tamu.edu/publicwifi. personal information.
A&M Network so that you can be
“on campus” from anywhere • Turn off the wireless connection when
including your mobile phone or your you don’t need to be on the Internet.
off-campus computer.

When should I use VPn?

Some IT services at Texas A&M are
Working Securely Anywhere
only available on campus. You should continued from page 1
use VPN to access these services when
you are away from the office. One In fact, personally owned computers • Take steps to safeguard personal
campus-wide example is managing are among the favorite targets of cyber information online. See “Staying
your people.tamu.edu web site. criminals looking to steal identities Safe” at url.tamu.edu/stayingsafe.
and plunder bank accounts. You also
Departments also use VPN for internal • Read more tips in this newsletter to
web sites, file storage, and more. Ask may be sharing the same computer
learn how to work securely wherever
your departmental IT staff about the with your family, making online safety
you are.
services you can access using VPN. precautions even more important.

How does VPn work? • Beef up security on your computer
by updating your antivirus software
VPN creates a link between your and operating system and using
computer or mobile phone and the strong passwords. To learn more,
VPN server on campus. This link allows read “Protect Against Malware” at
you to access the on-campus resources url.tamu.edu/malware.
you need through the VPN server.

Want to learn more?

Learn more about VPN including
complete set-up instructions at
it.tamu.edu/VPN.php.

2
Keeping Your Information Safe
Encryption
Did you know that if you lose your What encryption tools are provided
computer, the information on that by the university? What to Do if it
computer can be used by whomever
finds it? Even if you password PGP Desktop is provided by the Happens to You!
protect your system, the data university to departments. One Identity Theft
stored on your hard drive can still advantage of using PGP Desktop is
be taken. So, if you store valuable that we can recover your data in the According to the Federal Trade
information, such as student records event of a lost encryption key. PGP Commission (FTC), identity theft occurs
when someone uses your personally
or personal financial information on Desktop is not currently offered as a
identifying information, like your name,
your computer, you need to protect tool to individual users. Please contact Social Security number, or credit card
it with more than just a password. your departmental IT personnel if you number, without your permission to
What should you use? Encryption. are interested in using this resource. commit fraud or other crimes. If you
suspect identity fraud, take steps to
What is encryption? What other tools are available? protect yourself as quickly as possible:

Encryption is a way to increase security Most operating systems have a built- 1. Contact the fraud departments of
for sensitive information. It scrambles in way to encrypt files. Windows the three major US credit bureaus
the content of files so that it can provides BitLocker (http://windows. to place fraud alerts on your credit
reports. See ftc.gov/idtheft.
be read only if you have the correct microsoft.com/en-Us/windows7/
encryption key to unscramble it. products/features/bitlocker). 2. Close any accounts that you know
Apple has FileVault (http:// or suspect have been compromised
When should I use encryption? or opened fraudulently.
docs.info.apple.com/article.
html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8727. 3. File a complaint with the FTC. This
Texas A&M employees who work with html). But beware! If you use one helps you receive certain protections
confidential or sensitive information of these methods and forget your such as blocking fraudulent
information from appearing on
must protect it. A common way encryption key, you won’t be able
your credit report.
to lose confidential information is to log in and your files will be
losing a portable device on which lost forever. 4. If you believe your Social Security
it is stored. SAP 29.01.99.M1.16 number has been used illegally,
contact the Social Security
requires confidential information Where can I find out more?
Administration (www.ssa.gov).
stored on portable computing devices
to be encrypted. See url.tamu.edu/portabledevices. To find out more about staying safe
online, visit security.tamu.edu.

security Tip
using Antivirus
Software
Use an up-to-date antivirus program to
protect your computer from infection
by email attachments and downloaded
files.

Visit software.tamu.edu to get
antivirus software at no charge for
home computers and laptops.

sell@tamu.edu | 979.862.4104

3
Texas A&M Information Technology
Security Crossword
ACROSS DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Did You
Know?
1. Smell 1. Musical composition
5. Curved roof 2. Hurry 9 10
9. Surface a road 3. Ended
10. Out of shape 4. Can’t log in? ____
11 12
11. Wields your password ASAP.
12. Downloadable fix for
software
5. Genetic code
6. Many times 13 14 15 Keeping In Touch
13. Crafty 7. Opp. of macro
15. Before, poetically 8. Vanish into the___ 16 17 Phones and Voice Mail
16. British drink 10. Use auto___to protect
17. Neither’s partner your computer 18 19 20 21 22
18. Password to never 14. Garden caretaker Phone and voice mail options make it
send in email 18. Recesses 23 24 25 26 27
21. Estimated time of 19. “__ Dame”
simple for you to stay in touch — at
arrival 20. Desire
28 29 30 the office, at home, or on the road.
23. Poet Edgar Allen 22. ___ listing private info
24. Lacking entirely on Facebook
31 32
28. Where actors work 25. __ upon a time • Forward calls from your office to
30. Upon 26. Object
31. Unusual ____ 27. Extinct bird 33 34 another telephone, such as your
messages are a sign 29. Deity home phone or cell phone.
of viruses
32. Chilled • Check your office voice mail from
33. Never ___ your For crossword solution and coupon details, go to
password in email http://security.tamu.edu/Crossword.php any phone on or off campus.
34. Demonstration
• Forward your voice mail to your

FRee DeSSeRT
Sponsored by
email account and receive an email
alert when you receive a message.

For step-by-step instructions, visit
Take completed crossword to IT’S A gRInD for a free cookie, url.tamu.edu/userguides.
brownie, or dessert bar with the purchase of a 16 oz. drink.

iT Recipe
Set up TAMu email Mobile on Your Smart Phone
http://hdc.tamu.edu

+ + Help Desk Central

1. Your mobile device 2. Your TAMU Email (Neo) account 3. Follow the instructions at url.tamu.edu/emailmobile

now your Texas A&M email, calendar, and contacts will sync to your mobile device.

Featured Service
Instructional Technology Services
No-cost, hands-on training for integrating
technology into teaching.