[IS&T Security-FYI] Security FYI Newsletter, October 21, 2013

[Monique Yeaton]

In this issue:


1. Be Safe This Month and Win!

2. Why Caching is Not Safe



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1. Be Safe This Month and Win!

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This month, National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM)<http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/WR4YCQ>, we are encouraged to take responsibility for protecting our computers and computing infrastructure.


As the technology of software and the Internet changes at a rapid pace, so do the forms of attack that exploit this technology. One way that you, as a member of MIT, can do your part and keep up with the latest threats, is by taking a refresher course on computer or data security.


Securing the Human<http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/bB4YCQ> is a 5-part online course that is now available through the MIT Learning  Center. The topics covered include how to prevent a phishing scam, protecting your password, and why we should be encrypting sensitive data.


In support of NCSAM, the IT Security Support & Services team will be giving prizes to the top 3 students of the Securing the Human course. There's no need to register for the contest. Simply take one, a few, or all five parts of the Securing the Human course before November 4, 2013. Those who have viewed the courses prior to this announcement will also be included in the drawing.


Each of the 5 course modules is approximately 20 minutes. We will select from the users who have logged the most minutes by November 4, 2013 at 12 noon. The awards: 1st prize: $75, 2nd prize: $50 and 3rd prize: $25.


Thank you for participating in this prize giveaway and please stay safe out there!


Further course information and access to the courses is available here<http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/bB4YCQ>. An MIT certificate is required to access the courses.



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2. Why Caching is Not Safe

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This article on a Google Chrome<http://www.identityfinder.com/blog/identity-finder-discovers-google-chrome-users-are-vulnerable-to-sensitive-data-theft/> security flaw is another reminder that what we do on the Internet might stay on the Internet, or at least on our browsers. The flaw being referred to is caching. This is a function that makes browsing quicker for you. It saves information you enter into websites so that you save time when you need it again later. The only problem is that sometimes, as in this case, the browser stores the information in plain text.


It is very important to remember to set your browser to clear the cache (which can include your browsing history) after you have used it. Otherwise information that you entered can be easily accessible to the next person who uses the computer.


How to clear your browsing history including your cache<http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/x/RYCR>.


Another smart tip is to turn off the caching feature of your browser and instead use a tool such as LastPass<http://ist.mit.edu/news/password_managers>, which stores the personal information and passwords you enter on websites in an encrypted vault.


Learn more about password managers from this month's OUCH! article<http://www.securingthehuman.org/newsletters/ouch/issues/OUCH-201310_en.pdf>.



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Read all Security FYI Newsletter articles and submit comments online at http://securityfyi.wordpress.com/.

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Monique Yeaton
IT Security Communications Consultant
MIT Information Services & Technology (IS&T)
(617) 253-2715
http://ist.mit.edu/security


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