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

The Cost of a "Free" Prize

Imagine receiving an unexpected email from a well-known organization, such as Costco or Marriott, letting you know that you've been selected for an exclusive opportunity. All you have to do is respond to a quick survey about your recent experience with them, and you'll be awarded a brand-new iPhone. If you haven't visited these organizations recently, you probably suspect that something isn't quite right. But if you have, you might be very tempted to open the survey. If you do, you'll see a countdown timer that pressures you to answer all the questions quickly.

But the email you received is actually a phishing scam! Cybercriminals frequently impersonate well-known brands to build your trust and trick you into acting impulsively. The survey, the prize, and the countdown timer are all part of the scam. If you complete the survey, you'll be prompted to enter your credit card number and personal information to pay a small delivery fee for the new iPhone. But remember, this survey is fake, and cybercriminals will steal any information that you enter!

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

It’s unlikely that a legitimate organization will ask you to pay a fee with your credit card to receive a free prize. Being asked to pay for something that's supposed to be free is a red flag.
Use caution if you receive an unexpected message that claims you've won a prize, especially if it pressures you to act quickly. Cybercriminals often use a sense of urgency to trick you into making fast decisions.
If you receive a suspicious email, don't select any links in it. Instead, check the organization's official website or contact them directly to verify if the survey is legitimate.

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