Essential

• Stop (or at least slow down) and think
  • Many scams prey on fear and worry to pressure you to act without thinking.
    • "I need this right away.
    • "If you don't respond immediately we will suspend your account."
    • "Your account has been hacked."
  • Does this make sense?
    • Would this person really contact you?
    • Why would they ask you to do this?
    • Would they really be sending you this document?
  • Ask questions (You can inquire with ITS via the Help Desk, helpdesk@ccsf.edu)
  • Verify
    • Call them back on a number you know or can look up (don't trust the contact info they sent)
    • Contact their secretary or administrative assistant
    • Go to their office to talk to them
• Limit providing personal information as much as possible. Never give your password to anyone.
• Avoid online banking, shopping and other sensitive activities away from home
• Pay attention:
  • Use only secure sites (avoid websites that your browser doesn't show the lock symbol on)
  • Read the screen
• Be wary
  • Of people online (are they who they say they are?)
  • Of e-mails (is it real?)
  • Of attachments (could this be malware?)
  • Of links (is it really taking me to the correct website?)
  • Of public Wi-Fi (should I be doing this here?)
• Avoid risky sites
  • Stick to your favorite sites
  • Use only major companies
  • Do some research before going to an unknown site
• Passwords:
  • Use strong passwords
    • Is at least 12 characters long? The longer your password is, the better.
    • Uses uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special symbols. Passwords that consist of mixed characters are harder to crack.
    • Doesn't contain memorable keyboard paths. The letters a-s-d-f-g-h-j-k-l may seem random, but they are, in fact, just the keys straight down the line.
    • Is not based on your personal information:
      • Children's names
      • Pet's names
      • Home address
      • Memorable dates
  • Use different passwords per site, so if you every get comprised, it's only a single site.
  • Don't write passwords down. Put them in a password manager instead. See the Cyber Security page for reviews and recommendations.
  • Don't share them with anyone