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Guidelines for use of IT resources |
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How can I protect myself against victimization in Cyberspace? The growth of the Internet has brought with it increased opportunities for exploitation. Each day, billions of e-mail messages “phishing” for personal and financial information traverse Cyberspace. Despite all the warnings published by financial institutions and e-commerce enterprises and news coverage of such schemes, some people are fooled. People at the University have seen e-mail messages very cleverly designed to look as if they came from the Princeton University Credit Union. For tips on some of the dangers in Cyberspace, see the Information Security web page (www.princeton.edu/protect). When you are not sure whether such a message is genuine, it is appropriate and in fact preferable to check with a supervisor or other person in authority before responding or releasing information. It also may be appropriate to ask that the request for information be made in writing by mail or facsimile. The term "social engineering" refers to more than technology. A scammer with a convincing line might telephone an office worker or student and claim to work for a Help Desk at Princeton or at some financial institution, and ask the person for his or her account and password for some plausible-sounding security purpose. It is important to use critical thinking skills even for telephone or live approaches from people you do not know. Another type of danger is self-exposure. The rise of Facebook, MySpace, and other “social networks” encourages people to let their metaphoric hair down and to express themselves in ways that, in retrospect, might be a little too open for comfort. While communications or postings in the online facebook of a Princeton residential college are generally protected from the immediate view of the general public, statements made, and images published, on the Internet can typically be seen anywhere, can last essentially forever, and can have serious unintended consequences. “Some things to consider while using Facebook” discusses the risks facing students who participate in on-line social networking, but similar cautions apply equally to employees who publish profiles on MySpace or similar venues. |
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© 2009 by the Trustees of Princeton University. Last modified
9/9/09
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