Stay Informed, Stay Safe!
These resources are meant to be shared with whoever may need more information on security. They cover topics that are relevant to you and the people in your life, and aspects of the internet that aren't covered by Å®Óźϼ¯ policies or best practices.
Technology-related resources include information about hardware and software that you use for work or personal use.
Security-related resources include protecting your devices and information from online threats and bad actors.
Other resources include information on topics that you should be aware of to help protect yourself and your information.
Å®Óźϼ¯ Campus-Specific OIT
For questions, concerns, or to report a security incident, please do not hesitate to reach out to your campus' OIT. For System Office employees, please utilize the OIT department for the campus you work on.
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Technology Resources
When using your Å®Óźϼ¯ email or a University of Alaska device, all use of computing resources must comply with applicable law, Regents’ Policy and University Regulation, and must not disrupt the functioning of the University.
Read the Acceptable Use Policy here!
KnowBe4, the platform that hosts Å®Óźϼ¯ Security Awareness training, has a wealth of free resources that you and your family may find useful! There are resources appropriate for every age.
There are many amazing, free software products out there that you may find useful. However, viruses are free too. Before you download anything from the internet, validate that the website you are on is an actual, safe site. You can do this by:
If you're downloading a program or application off the internet, make sure that you are on the official site for that product. Third-party, poorly-made, or unknown websites will not be as secure or safe as official, trusted sources and websites.
Suspicious websites attempt to look legitimate to trick you into trusting them. One quick way to check a website’s safety is by looking for SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) certificates. Reputable websites need to have these certificates, and having them means the website communicates with other websites and handles transactions using data encryption methods. You can also look for the security padlock icon or HTTPS in the address bar before the URL.
Another great way to verify a website is to run the URL through a URL scanner, such as urlscan.io.
Your computer has built-in anti-malware programs that, as long as you keep your device up to date, will give you adequate coverage!
When you search for a website on Google, a "sponsored" page will often pop up at the top of the search results. Don't click it! It is an ad, and anyone can purchase one. It could lead to a dangerous webpage that looks like the page you're trying to find.
Security Resources
USBs and other forms of removable media can be very helpful for storage! However, they also pose a significant risk to your device. NEVER plug something you found into your computer - you don't know where it's been, and if someone just dropped it or if it was placed there maliciously to get your data. Even if it wasn't malicious, the owner of the drive may have accidentally put malware on it, which could be transferred to your device.
If you do find a USB drive, dongle, or other piece of removable media, please take it to your campus IT department. Let them know where you found it, and they can handle it from there.
AI is getting better at mimicking human artistry. AI photos and stories are used to influence your thoughts and emotions. This makes it difficult to separate fact from AI fiction. So, how can you spot AI media? The BBC with some tips, and you can test your skills with their !
If you've been pwned, your information has been compromised. This can happen due to data breaches. Knowing if your information is out there allows you to protect yourself better. The website is a safe resource to check if your email address was included in a breach.
Other Resources
Cybercrime is incredibly common today, and brings in numbers similar to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of entire nations, and the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report states that Americans lost nearly $21 BILLION from cybercrimes in 2025. That would be equivalent to the net worth of 10.5 Taylor Swifts. The FBI investigates cybercrimes in the US. .
If you encounter a scam, fraud, phishing, or any other type of cybercrime, please report it to the .
is a very serious risk that everyone can be targeted by. When someone steals your identity, they can use your personal or financial information without your permission - including, but not limited to opening credit cards in your name, using your current cards, or using your social security number to steal your tax refund. They can even pretend to be you, if they get arrested. So, how can you protect yourself from identity theft?
Keep an eye on your bank account(s) to make sure you recognize that a bill is actually yours and that the information for it is correct. If your bank account statement shows withdrawals you did not make or purchases that you don't recognize, that may be a sign of identity theft.
Your credit score is a number that estimates your likeliness to repay a loan and make payments on time. If your credit score is high, it means you are more likely to get credit, such as a credit card, loan, or mortgage, and at a better rate than someone with a lower credit score.
The best way to protect your credit from being impacted by identity theft is to place a with the three nationwide credit bureaus. This is free and can be done over the phone. The correct contact information for the bureaus is located at . You must place a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus.
Fraud alerts are a one year "flag" that tells businesses to contact you if someone is trying to open an account in your name. This can be placed along with a credit freeze, and only needs to be placed with one of the credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, contact information is located at ).
If you are targeted by a scammer, or have a family member who is, you can take action to help track them down and prevent others from experiencing the same scam. The has a reporting page, and the FBI's is another good place to report fraud.
Have you gotten unwanted calls from telemarketers? If you don't want to receive telemarketing calls, you can add yourself to the . This registry tells registered telemarketers from real companies what numbers not to call - it will not stop scam calls. To register yourself on the Do Not Call registry, visit .
With the amount of your data that is collected, it is inevitable that some of it will be sold to data brokers and end up on people search sites. Due to a lack of federal regulations surrounding data brokers and privacy, the best way to get your information out of public databases is by requesting it yourself. outlines how to do this for free.
If you'd prefer, instead of doing manual opt-outs, there are paid services that will automatically send opt-out requests for you. Some highly-rated options that you may choose to use at your own risk include and . Both of these services are US-based, however they are not affiliated with the University of Alaska.
Want to Hear From Us?
Is there a meeting or event that would benefit from security awareness presentations, talks, or materials? Have questions?
Email us at: ua-securitymatters@alaska.edu