All of us at Gone Phishing would like to wish each and every member of the Marist Community a wonderful and relaxing winter break. Here are some helpful hints to keep your computers and data secure, whether your are traveling, at home, or on campus:

• Keep your devices safe – make sure your laptop, smartphone, and tablet all have a passcode, thumb print, or face ID enabled. Turn on the auto-lock feature as well. If you lose your device while traveling, it will be harder for someone to get to your information. It is also best to enable remote device wiping through Apple iCloud or Google, which allows you to remotely delete your data.
• Keep your devices and software updated – pay attention to notifications that your software or machine has important updates. When you look at the details of the update, anything including the word security should be applied as soon as feasible. Make sure to also update the apps on your smartphone and tablet.
• Be wary of public WIFI - don’t connect to unknown (and therefore untrusted) wireless networks. While traveling, it is safest to use a cellular device as a hotspot. If you must connect to Marist services for work or school while off-campus and have limited WIFI options, always use the Marist VPN as the safest way to access Marist services.
• Don’t get locked out of your account! Have you received a message that your Marist password is expiring? Don’t ignore it! Make sure to change your password before it expires, or else you will be locked out of your account. You will want to return to campus in January with your accounts active as it takes extra time and effort to re-enable them.

Enjoy your break and keep sending those suspicious emails to gonephishing@marist.edu (We promise to read them all.)