MSU holds ninth cybersecurity week

Mississippi State University recognized its cybersecurity awareness week from Monday to Thursday.

The week offered various speakers and an information booth for students, faculty and staff to discuss the importance and relevance of cybersecurity. Topics covered included self-awareness of information and best practices.

Security and compliance officer Tom Ritter said much of this year's cybersecurity week centered on identity theft prevention.

“Identity theft was one of the more prominent topics because of things like the Equifax breach,” Ritter said. “Over 143 million consumers had their identities stolen.”

Ritter said MSU has standardized two-factor identification across all its passwords. With two-factor identification after a password is put in on a screen, a user will verify the login on a different device before being allowed in.

“MSU has purchased a site license for twofactor identification, and because of the information around MSU, we're requiring it,” Ritter said. “We'll roll that out this week.“

Ritter advised the community to not open files from unknown or strange email addresses, and to contact their credit reporting agency and file a police report if they think their card or account has been breached. He said the Federal Trade Commission also has a website dedicated to safeguarding data.

MSU's computer science programs have also taught cybersecurity for several years, with a master's program in the subject being approved by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees this spring.