Cybersecurity Tips for New and Returning Buckeyes

Amid the hustle and bustle of a new academic year, it's easy to neglect basic cybersecurity measures. But with increasingly frequent reports of cyberattacks and data breaches, following basic steps to protect yourself and Ohio State’s data is crucial. This article provides strategies on avoiding phishing scams, enhancing your account security with BuckeyePass, and responsibly using AI tools to help you stay cyber secure.  

Avoid Falling for Phishing Scams   

Learning how to identify and avoid falling for a phishing attempt is one of the most important steps you can take in protecting personal and institutional data. Phishing is a type of cyberattack where scammers use email, phone calls or text messages to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information. Scammers will often send malicious links or attachments that can infect your computer with malware or will bring you to a legitimate-looking webpage in an attempt to steal your log-in credentials. 

If you ever suspect an email to be a phishing attempt, please report it immediately by clicking the "Report Phishing" button in Outlook or forwarding the message to report-phish@osu.edu. 

Phishing attempts targeting your university credentials that come through text message or phone calls should be reported to the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation’s Digital Security and Trust (DST) team at security@osu.edu. 

Add a Secondary Authentication Method for BuckeyePass  

BuckeyePass, powered by Duo Security, is Ohio State’s method of multi-factor authentication, assisting in keeping university systems safe and helping us stay ahead of security threats. While many users have at least one way to use BuckeyePass, such as the mobile app, enrolling a secondary authentication method allows you to still access the systems you need even if your original method is unavailable, for instance if your phone runs out of battery.  

There are numerous authentication options available in BuckeyePass, including Apple Face ID and Touch ID and Android Passkey with fingerprint or face recognition.  

You can learn more about authentication options on the BuckeyePass website. To add another authentication method to your account, visit the website and navigate to “Register and Manage Devices”. 

Those needing additional assistance can view the Adding a Device and Authenticating with BuckeyePass job aids on the Administrative Resource Center, or reach out to the IT Service Desk at go.osu.edu/it or 614-688-4357 (HELP). 

Learn About AI 

Tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and Google Gemini have introduced powerful capabilities for researchers, instructors and students. However, these advancements also offer cybercriminals new opportunities to devise more convincing social engineering attacks, such as phishing schemes. Additionally, the ethical and legal implications of this technology, along with worries about academic misconduct, cannot be overlooked.  

Before using AI for work or academic purposes, it’s important to learn about how the technology works and how to leverage it appropriately. The university’s new AI website offers resources on learning to use AI and using AI in our teaching and learning endeavors.