NC State celebrates CSAM 2021

Do Your Part. BeCyberSmartCybercriminals are relentless in their pursuit to reach you. Their unsolicited email, telephone calls and even text and chat messages — which were once viewed as just a nuisance ― are now potentially harmful scams. And the target is none other than you. 

On NC State’s campus, these scams are cloaked as off-campus housing application requests, job openings that are too good to be true, payroll deposit requests, and urgent alerts about citizenship status or student loans. Clicking the wrong link could result in the loss of your personal and sensitive data, such as your password, Social Security number and banking and credit card information.

But you should also know that the Office of Information Technology is relentless in its pursuit to provide you with the information and tools you need to help protect yourself and NC State against scams and other security threats. 

Join us in October for NC State’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM) program, “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart,” and participate in activities that will increase your awareness of security issues that impact you. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 6, Brad Reaves, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and a member of the Wolfpack Security and Privacy Research (WSPR) Lab at NC State, will present the keynote address, Who’s Calling? Understanding the Scourge of Robocalls,” from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. online. 

Telephone subscribers in the U.S. are inundated by frequent unsolicited calls known as robocalls, and this is arguably one of the greatest telephone network security issues facing people today. In this talk, Reaves will explain how and why the robocall problem became so significant, how NC State research reveals how these robocallers operate, and what is being done to put an end to the problem.

Reaves’ research is dedicated to measuring and improving the security and privacy of computer systems, with a particular emphasis on telephone networks and software for mobile platforms. This work has addressed detection and measurement of mobile malware in the wild, identified systemic risks in developing world mobile money systems, and provided new techniques to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent phone calls. His research integrates knowledge from fields as diverse as signal processing and digital communications; data science, machine learning and statistics; cryptography; program analysis; reverse engineering; and Internet and telephone networks.

See more CSAM events below.

Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart

Who’s Calling? Understanding the Scourge of Robocalls (Zoom presentation)
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. online

During NC State’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month keynote address, Brad Reaves, an assistant professor in the NC State Department of Computer Science and a member of the Wolfpack Security and Privacy Research (WSPR) Lab, will explain how and why unsolicited calls known as robocalls have become a significant problem, how NC State research reveals how these robocallers operate, and what is being done to put an end to the problem. To register, visit REPORTER.

Data Security Training

How secure are you? OIT will launch this year’s online Data Security Training module in October. Mandatory and available only for university employees, including student employees, retirees and nopays, the module focuses on cybersecurity awareness topics critical to the university. Topics include phishing, two-factor authentication (2FA), data management, and mobile device security. This annual training module is one of many IT resources that can help reduce human error — the leading cause of compromised systems.

Security for Your Android & iOS Devices (Presentation and Slides)
Friday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Do you know if your mobile device is really secure? Have you implemented the right security measures? No worries. Everette Allen of OIT will take you through step-by-step recommendations to secure your iOS and Android devices on Friday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Topics will include:

  • Lock screen/Password protection
  • Antivirus
  • Endpoint Protection Standard
  • Encryption
  • Software updates
  • Network connections

To register, visit REPORTER.

Avoid the Hook with Phishing Survival Skills
(OIT slides and NC State Police Department slides)
Tuesday, Oct. 19 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

From a phisher’s perspective, it’s cool to reel in a 150-pound largemouth phish (That could be you!). But if you are on the phisher’s hook, the situation can be dangerous. There are many true phishing tales on NC State campus that involve the loss of account privileges, money or personal information that leads to identity theft. Phishers use carefully crafted messages to reel you in; it’s time you knew what they know and how to avoid their bait! Join OIT Security and Compliance for a hands-on learning lab where students, faculty and staff can learn how to think like a phisher. Topics covered will include:

  • Phishing campaigns that are targeting the university
  • Phishing techniques
  • How to identify and report suspicious email
  • What to do if you accidentally click on the wrong link 

To register, visit REPORTER.

Stay Safe Online: A Cybergame

Play the Cybergame! Match a pair of virtual cards to find tips that will teach you how to #BeCyberSmart!

Prizes

  • Apple Watch
  • Android 4G Phone Tablet, 64GB
  • Wireless Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
  • NC State Wolfpack Face Masks