Northeastern ITS is committed to better protecting you and your information. One of the ways we can do this is to stop all of those pesky phish from spamming your inbox, so we’ve been working to better secure your email. We rolled out a new feature over the summer that scans the links and attachments in your Office 365 email to do just that.
Below, read about that and digital security updates that impact you and the Northeastern community.
DUO – Multi-Factor Authentication
The university is committed to protecting your data and privacy. Thus, Northeastern ITS has already integrated Duo Security’s multi-factor authentication (MFA) service into some core university technology services. For the past year, the university community has been using Duo for VPN (Virtual Private Network) access and server logins with great results. These integrations provide enhanced security around these services.
Since our entire university community would benefit from Duo’s secure platform, we would like to expand the platform to cover Office 365 and other key services throughout the university. We encourage all faculty and staff members to embrace the benefits of this enhanced security service.
Using Duo is fast and easy–so is enrolling. Read our How-To on enrolling in Duo for step-by-step instructions. Visit the MFA registration page to get started.
Microsoft Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)
ITS recently rolled out Microsoft’s Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) in Office 365 to all Northeastern faculty and staff. This is part of the ongoing effort to combat phishing scams and better protect our university community.
Microsoft ATP scans all URL links and attachments in emails, as well as files in SharePoint and OneDrive. If it finds any potentially malicious content, it blocks access to them.
It’s important to note that while ATP is another layer of protection, it is not perfect. Users should still exercise caution when clicking on links and opening files in emails, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
MaaS360/Mobile Device Management
Northeastern ITS has partnered with IBM to pilot their Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform, MaaS360, as a potential solution to the university’s mobile security needs.
We continue to pilot MaaS360 with members of ITS, as well as faculty and staff across the university, to determine if this is the appropriate mobile security solution for Northeastern. We are collaborating with the larger university community to understand the needs of individuals across campus. Ultimately, we are looking for the best and most secure solution for you and your data.
Northeastern ITS will continue to provide updates to our faculty and staff as we test this solution. Together, we will progress toward a long-term mobile security solution for the university.
NOTE: As of December 2018, Northeastern no longer uses MaaS360 as its Mobile Device Management (MDM) platform.
Interested in learning more about how to secure your information online? October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Throughout the month, we will share tips and advice on how you can protect yourself online. Visit the SecureNU website and follow @SecureNU on Twitter for resources related to online safety and security.