online security tips and resources for students

whether you're learning in a traditional classroom or from a remote location, it is important to take a few simple steps to protect yourself. these information security steps will help you get started in protecting your accounts and devices.

• keep your passwords strong and secure. at arcadia, we use and enforce a strong password criteria, please see our password page for our criteria and tips for creating a strong password using a passphrase.
• if you haven’t already, make sure you register for portalguard. this is your password reset and single sign-on (sso) tool and will soon function as your multifactor authentication (mfa) tool. for more information about portalguard, please visit our portalguard website and faqs page.

• make sure your devices have up to date antivirus protection installed. for a list of free antivirus software, please visit this website for ratings and reviews.
• password protect your mobile device! devices such as cellphones and tablets go with us everywhere, creating a higher chance that they get lost or stolen. adding a password to your device provides an extra layer of security in the event that they get into the wrong hands. not sure how to password protect your device? check out the resources below:
  • set a passcode on iphone
  • set screen lock on an android device
• when getting online, only use a trusted wireless network, such as your password protected home wireless network. however, if you need to use a network that is not a trusted home network, follow these tips before connecting to a free / public wireless network to make sure you are protecting yourself and your data.
• keep your devices up to date with the latest security patches.
  • update your windows 10 device
  • update your mac
  • update your android device
  • update your iphone/ipad

while some phishing emails are obvious malicious attempts to gain access to your accounts and personal information, others are crafted in a way that makes them appear to be legitimate. check for some of these common flags:

• the email comes from a sender that you do not recognize or is pretending to be someone that you know. malicious actors will either spoof a familiar email address by making their email appear to come from an email address that you know, or, they will create an email address that looks very similar to one that you may recognize.
• the email was sent to you along with a handful of other email addresses that you do not recognize. this is usually a sign of a compromised email address that is now being used to attack the contact list of the email owner.
• did you receive an email with an attachment that you were not expecting to receive? if so, do not open it! email attachments can contain malware or even links to malicious websites that will ask you for personal information, such as account credentials to “view the attached file”.
• is there a link in an email that you aren’t expecting? take a moment to inspect the link by checking for typos and hovering over the link. hovering over the link will let you see where the link actually takes you. a common trick is to make a hyperlink that appears to be taking you to a familiar resource, but instead, takes you to a mock website that will request your username and password.
• is the email threatening or does it create a sense of urgency? a common trick of phishing emails is to use fear tactics. by creating a sense of urgency or instilling fear, the malicious actor hopes that you will act quickly and without second guessing the legitimacy of the request or demand. if you receive an unexpected, yet urgent request, take a moment to evaluate the email and determine its legitimacy. if you feel threatened or harassed in any way by the content of an email, please do not hesitate to contact public safety.
• remember: the arcadia university help desk will never ask you for your password
• are you unsure if an email is a phishing email or legitimate? report it to the it department!

• information about covid-19 phishing scams
• are you interested in more online safety tips? staysafeonline offers a robust set of tools and information to help you and your family. you can find more information on their website
• if you ever have any questions about information security or need assistance, please contact our help desk