Learning online

It is important students are aware of secure practices when working and studying online in order to protect yourself, University equipment and data from unwanted access or attacks.

Top 10 secure practices

1. Secure your login and password information
   Avoid saving your password in browsers, leaving it on a sticky note or written down near your computer. Create a passphrase to make it easier to remember but harder for someone else to crack.
2. Use a VPN
   Connect your computer with a VPN, so your home network has a secure link to the world wide web to prevent unwanted access or browsing of your network traffic.
3. Look, lock and leave. 
   Ensure your device is always locked or logged off when you are not working online.
4. Keep physical copies safe
   Hard copies of data can easily fall into the wrong hands or be misplaced off-campus. Minimise the number of hard copies printed on-campus and store them in a secure location.
5. Be aware of new SPAM and malware scams
   Working online means we rely on email, zoom, text messages and social media to contact others. Scammers take advantage of increased online communication to send phishing, scareware and malware to try and access personal and University data.
6. Keep your anti-virus up to date
   Ensure any device used to access University systems has anti-virus installed. Windows Defender is approved for personal use.
7. Be mindful of your surroundings while accessing University information
   Be mindful of who can view your screen or hard copy documents. Use a VPN when accessing University data in a public space and keep personal devices and physical documents with you at all times.
8. Minimise saving documents as a local copy
   Save all University related documents back to OneDrive or the Notre Dame network using mapped drives. OneDrive and mapped drives keep documents on a secure storage system that is regularly backed up, with permissions to prevent unwanted access.
9. Follow University standards, policies and procedures
   While learning online the University's standards, policies and procedures still apply. Review approval & compliance to see what software requires approval before use.
10. Keep your desk tidy and your screen clean
    Keeping your desk tidy can help you think clearly, easily find documents and stay organised. Keep your screen tidy by minimising browsers or applications when not required.

Report an Incident

Reporting incidents goes a long way to protect university data and reduce the potential for damage to the universities staff and students. All those who access systems of the University are required to report any cybersecurity or suspicious behaviour to IT.

Please contact the IT Service Desk via phone or email if you feel you may have a compromised account or witnessed a Cybersecurity incident. It is essential to reset your password as soon as possible.