USU takes data privacy and protection for all faculty, staff, students, research subjects, and community members seriously. When we learn of data breaches that might have an impact on the USU community, the Office of Legal Affairs will provide information and updates on mitigation efforts.
Notices Regarding Data Security Incidents
- USU Health Plan Vendors Affected by MOVEit Security Incident - October 31, 2023
- MOVEit Software Vulnerability and Third-party Breaches - August 2, 2023
Things You Can Do to Protect Yourself
- Be extra vigilant: It is possible that cybercriminals may leverage stolen personal information from this attack to craft convincing phishing attacks in the coming weeks and months. An email, notice, or text message containing accurate information about you or one of your accounts is not enough to verify authenticity. Verify the source of a message before responding. Take note of how to identify a phishing attack. Phone calls may also be used to obtain personal or financial information.
- Monitor your financial accounts and credit:It is always wise to monitor your credit report for unusual activity. Consider putting a credit freeze in place to frustrate would-be scammers if you believe you are being targeted.
- Secure your accounts:Remember to enable two-factor authentication and to use long passphrases for all of your accounts. Never give someone your password or a two-factor code if asked for it, even if they claim to be from a trusted organization.
- Update your Banner Account: Keep you Banner account updated to ensure you receive important notices.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for your online accounts. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide additional verification besides your password.
- Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments in emails from unknown sources. These links or attachments may contain malware that can compromise your computer or steal your personal information.
- Keep your software and operating system updated with the latest security patches. Hackers often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software and operating systems.
- Limit the personal information you share online. Avoid sharing sensitive information on social media or other online platforms, such as your date of birth, home address, or social security number.
- Online tools such as "Have I Been Pwned" can assist you in checking whether your personal information has been compromised in data breaches and provide information about the breach if it has occurred, or “Experian” can help you identify if your information is on the Dark Web.