Cyber security

Please report IT security incidents quickly to minimise damage to the University.

Phishing emails try to trick you into handing over information. The University is regularly targeted by phishing emails so it's important you know how to recognise them.

What to look out for:

• Suspicious links. Pause before you click on any links in an email. If you are using a computer, hover your mouse over the link to check the address. If it doesn't look right, don't click it.
• Attachments you weren't expecting. Don't open attachments you are not expecting or from people you don't know. They may contain harmful viruses.
• Urgent requests. Threats and urgent warnings like "your account is about to expire - act now" are intended to cause panic so you act quickly without thinking.
• Poor spelling and grammar. It's unlikely legitimate emails will contain mistakes.
• Offers too good to be true. Emails offering you money or financial opportunities are often fake. For example, transferring or receiving money for someone else. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Generic greetings. Phishing emails often use generic greetings like "Dear customer"but more sophisticated emails may use your real name.

Received a phishing email?

• Don't respond to the email, click any links, or open any attachments. Please forward the email as an attachment to phishing@essex.ac.uk so we can investigate it and stop others from receiving it, and then delete the email.
• If you believe you have been the victim of phishing, contact the IT Helpdesk as soon as possible.

Learn more about phishing:

• NCSC: Phishing: Spot and report scam emails, texts, websites and calls

It's essential you use a strong password for your Essex IT account and keep it safe.

• Make your password as long as possible. Use at least 16 characters.

• The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends combining three random words to create a password that’s "long enough and strong enough".

• Add numbers or special characters between the words to make your password even stronger. The more characters, the harder it is to crack.

• Use a browser or password manager to safely store your passwords.
• Choose a different password for your Essex IT account and don't use it anywhere else.
• Avoid using personal information such as birthdays, addresses, or phone numbers.

Information security is everyone’s responsibility, and data loss can lead to fines or reputational damage for the University.

It’s important you know how to work with information and data securely.

• Information security guidance
• Information Security Policy (pdf)

You can attend free security briefings to learn ways to defend yourself against the most common cyber-attacks. They're non-technical and suitable for everyone.

The briefings are provided by Cyber Griffin, founded by City of London Police, and are delivered by active police officers.