Information Security

Mission Statement

The Information Security Office is committed to lowering the risk profile of the University’s electronic information by implementing industry best practices to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of student, faculty, and staff information. We uphold the University’s compliance obligations by developing information security policies, providing security awareness training, and overseeing the implementation of strategic information security initiatives.

Scam of the Week

Small Fee, Big Catch

You’re scrolling through your emails, and suddenly you read one that says your package couldn't be delivered because a small customs fee wasn’t paid. The email says you need to pay the fee through a link in the email right away so the package can be delivered. The fee is just a few dollars, so you may be tempted to pay it to get your package.

But this email is actually a phishing scam! If you select the link in the email, you’ll be taken to a website, which will prompt you to enter your name, contact information, credit card details, and other banking information. If you enter your information, cybercriminals can use it to make fraudulent purchases or even sell it to other scammers!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this phishing scam:

If you’re expecting a package and haven’t received it, go directly to the package delivery service’s official app or website and use your tracking number.
Be wary if a message asks for your credit card number to cover a small delivery fee. Legitimate customs charges don't require that much financial information.
Always stop and think before you act! If an email asks for an unexpected payment, that’s a red flag.

Time It Takes a Hacker to Brute Force Your Password in 2025
Hardware: 12 x RTX 5090 | Password hash: bcrypt(10)

Number of Characters	Number Only	Lowercase Letters	Upper and Lower Case Letters	Numbers, Upper and Lowercase Letters	Numbers, Upper and Lowercase Letters, Symbols
4	Instantly	Instantly	Instantly	Instantly	Instantly
5	Instantly	Instantly	57 minutes	2 hours	4 hours
6	Instantly	46 minutes	2 days	6 Days	2 weeks
7	Instantly	20 hours	4 months	1 year	2 years
8	Instantly	3 weeks	15 years	62 years	164 years
9	2 hours	2 years	791 years	3k years	11k years
10	1 day	40 years	41k years	238k years	803k years
11	1 week	1k years	2m years	14m years	56m years
12	3 months	27k years	111m years	917m years	3bn years
13	3 years	705k years	5bn years	56bn years	275bn years
14	28 years	18m years	300bn years	3tn years	19tn years
15	284 years	477m years	15tn years	218tn years	1qd years
16	2k years	12bn years	812tn years	13qd years	94qd years
17	28k years	322bn years	42qd years	840qd years	6qn years
18	284k years	8tn years	2qn years	52qn years	463qn years