Information technology services to put spotlight on computer security

The next time you visit a coffee shop with your laptop, you may want to think twice before you start paying your bills online or checking your bank balance. At least find out what security is available for your information.

Likewise, when you sign up for a new telephone, you may want to reconsider providing your social security number, which ends up on a piece of paper or in a database you have no control over.

“Security is getting more and more complicated and it is important to know what we can do to protect ourselves,” said Elaine David, assistant vice president for information services and director of information technology security, policy, and quality assurance for University Information Technology Services (UITS).

“Things people have done for years without thinking twice can create problems and the opportunity for identity theft now.”

Tips on how to protect your identity are part of a week-long look at the issue, “Protecting Your Personal Information and Identity,” beginning Oct. 13. The events are sponsored by UITS.

From Oct. 13 to 17, there will be a booth at the Student Union from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to demonstrate Spider software and answer questions. Spider software can scan a hard drive for social security numbers, particularly important for faculty who may have stored student information by social security numbers years ago. That type of information should be deleted from laptops and stored on hard drives or wiped clean.

Representatives from the FBI, McAffee, IdentiPHI, and Apple will make presentations during the week, including:

• “Coffee Shop Security: Top 10 Security Tips for Mac Users,” by Devin McLaughlin, Apple senior system engineer, Apple certified system administrator. Tuesday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m., at the Dodd Center.
• “Data Protection Lunch and Learn with McAfee,” by Simon Hunt, vice president and chief technology officer, data protection, McAfee Inc. Wednesday, Oct. 15, noon, in the North Reading Room, Wilbur Cross Building. Lunch provided by McAfee for attendees.
• “Internet Awareness, Identity Theft, and Internet Fraud,” by Thomas Lawler, supervisory special agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Thursday, Oct. 16, 11a.m., in the North Reading Room, Wilbur Cross Building.
• “Preventing Identity Theft,” by Jeff Panzer, IdentiPHI. Friday, Oct. 17, 11a.m., in the Dodd Center.

There will also be a special student session, “Protecting Personal Information on Facebook,” by Denielle Burl, director of risk management, on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 5:30 p.m. in the Bishop Center, Room 7.

More information on the week, which coincides with national Cyber Security Awareness Month, is available at http://security.uconn.edu/SecurityAwareness.html