Campus Security Awareness Campaign 2018
This post is part of a larger campaign designed to support security professionals and IT communicators as they develop or enhance their security awareness plans. View all 12 monthly blog posts with ready-made content by visiting our security awareness resource page.
Digital citizenship is an important part of an individual's online identity and requires everyone to take steps to make the Internet an enjoyable, safe place for everyone. As cybersecurity professionals, we need to help our end users across all generations grow as digital citizens and enable them to make the Internet safer and more secure. Promote and encourage awareness, responsibility, and respect by sharing and customizing the following information.
Get the Word Out
Newsletter or Website Content
"The Internet is a powerful and useful tool, but in the same way that you shouldn't drive without buckling your seat belt or ride a bike without a helmet, you shouldn't venture online without taking some basic precautions." This is an important reminder from the National Cyber Security Alliance that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility as an individual and a member of our ever-growing online community. Here are some tips to keep in mind as we work together to create a better, safer digital world for ourselves and others.
- Own your online presence. To keep yourself safe, set privacy and security settings on web services, apps, and devices to your comfort level. You do not have to share everything with everyone. It is your choice to limit what (and with whom) you share personal information.
- Be a good digital citizen. The things that you would not do in your physical life, do not do in your digital life. If you see crime online, report it the same way that you would in real life. Keep yourself safe and assist in keeping others safe on the Internet.
- Respect yourself and others. Practice good netiquette, know the law, and do not do things that would cause others harm. The Golden Rule applies online, as well.
- Practice good communications. Never send an e-mail typed in anger. Put it in your draft folder and wait. Keep in mind that digital communications do not give the reader the same visual or audio cues that speaking in person (or by video or phone) does.
- Protect yourself and your information. Use complex passwords or passphrases, and don't reuse the same password or variations of a simple phrase. Better yet, enable two-factor authentication or two-step verification whenever possible.
Figure 1. Use this image to support your message
Social Posts
Note: These are Twitter-ready, meeting the 140-character length restriction.
- Stay Informed! Your #cybersecurity begins with you. #CyberAware #DigitalCitizenship #OnlineSafety
- It's not about the technology—it's about how you use it. Connect & share with care. #CyberAware #DigitalCitizenship #OnlineSafety
- Keep your cloud time safe. Use 2-factor authentication to protect yourself & your info online. #OnlineSafety #DigitalCitizenship #CyberAware
- Own your online presence and identity! Value & protect your personal info. #CyberAware #DigitalCitizenship #OnlineSafety
- Be a good digital citizen. Practice proper netiquette when you're online. #CyberAware #DigitalCitizenship #OnlineSafety
- Be social media savvy. Think about how others could use the information you post. #CyberAware #DigitalCitizenship #OnlineSafety
E-Mail Signature
Ask staff members to add a tip to their e-mail signature block and link to your institution's information security page.
Example:
Jane Doe
Information Security Office
XYZ College
Short statement about the topic. Learn more. [Link "Learn more." to your institution's information security department page or STOP. THINK. CONNECT.'s general tips and advice.]
Embed or Share Videos
STOP. THINK. CONNECT. PSA: We're All Online (0:15 sec)
Cyberspace Rap about STOP. THINK. CONNECT. and Online Safety (2:00 min)
Resources
Share these resources with end users or use them to inform your awareness strategy:
- STOP. THINK. CONNECT. is the global online safety awareness campaign to help all digital citizens stay safer and more secure online. There are a variety of free online resources, including tip sheets, videos, posters, and memes that you can download and share.
- Help teach your community the importance of staying safe online using resources from the National Cyber Security Alliance.
- Find out how your institution can support and promote Safer Internet Day, which is celebrated in February every year in more than 100 countries worldwide.
- Review the Digital Citizenship Institute's nine elements of digital citizenship.
- Share NCSA's infographic about the basics of online safety [https://staysafeonline.org/resource/learn-basics-online-safety-national-cyber-security-awareness-month-infographic/].
- See our previous Campus Security Awareness Campaign blogs about good digital citizenship and online safety: June 2017: Basic Steps to Online Safety and Security, August 2016: Online Safety and Security, and December 2016: Managing Your Online Reputation.
Brought to you by the Awareness and Training Working Group of the EDUCAUSE Higher Education Information Security Council (HEISC).
© 2018 EDUCAUSE. This EDUCAUSE Review blog is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.