As the world becomes increasingly connected, adhering to standard cybersecurity practices is critical to safeguard against potential cyber threats. Even if you don’t think you have sensitive information to steal, cyber attackers could use your accounts or devices as an open door to MSU.
What you can do
Here are immediate, simple actions our community can take now to better protect personal and institutional data:
- Turn on multifactor authentication (MFA) for your Spartan 365 and MSU email account
- Enable MFA now
- Safeguarding access to these systems inhibits attacks on our infrastructure and reduces the possibility of disclosure or misuse of your MSU information
- Choose Okta Verify for MFA
- The Okta Verify mobile app is the most secure way to receive MFA push notifications
- Learn more at go.msu.edu/newmfa
- Install antivirus on personal devices
- Current MSU faculty, staff, and students have access to ESET Protect Cloud
- Learn more about MSU endpoint security
- Review college or unit plans
- Consult with your local IT staff to review local data backup plans and ensure recovery plans are up to date and readily available
- Local IT staff can consult with our Information Security team at informationsecurity@msu.edu
What MSU IT is doing
MSU IT’s core function is to protect institutional data, systems, and resources from cyber threats or attacks, while ensuring MSU’s academic, research, and outreach missions are supported. While our Information Security team works hard to keep the university’s IT environment secure, it is important that each of us take action and follow best practices to maximize our defenses.
Here are some of the ways MSU IT has been bolstering security over the past year:
- Updated disaster recovery planning processes for core IT infrastructure
- Aligned processes with the campus Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
- Upgraded the university’s multifactor authentication (MFA) solution
- Enabled new MFA services for EBS, KFS, Spartan 365, and various enterprise systems to reduce complexity during the login process
- Upgraded network boundary firewalls for increased capacity and monitoring capabilities
- Increased exercises in emergency communications, incident response procedures, and rapid response engagement
- Accelerated system patching to ensure core systems are protected
- Continue to migrate campus users to our new endpoint protection product, ESET Protect Cloud
- Briefing at-risk user groups and launching pilot programs for security awareness training with the goal of university-wide availability
Get help and resources
Find more security resources at secureit.msu.edu.
For questions, concerns, or to report suspected IT abuse or fraud behavior, contact the MSU Help Desk by calling 517-432-6200 or chat.
