Author: Dan Boyd
Here we are in November already…fall is here, the holidays are approaching, the semester is starting to wind down and we’re done with Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Prizes have been awarded for scavenger hunts and completing training (for students). We had 17 people complete the hunt and 33 others jump into hunting down clues and learning about cybersecurity at the same time. I hope everyone enjoyed the hunt.
We have one final topic this last week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We’re talking about spotting phishing emails and scams and how to report them. After I explain the process to report phishing emails and where to report other types of scams, Gabby, my student worker has a “Halloween-ized” section on how to spot those “scary” phishing emails and also explains spear phishing.
Welcome to week three of Cybersecurity Awareness Month! As of the time this was written, only somewhere between a third and a quarter of faculty and staff had completed the required cybersecurity awareness training for fall 2025. The October 31st deadline will be here before you know it and reminder emails are going out already. Students, remember that I am bribing you with the possibility of winning a cool prize for finishing the training. You also only have until October 31st to complete the Cybersecurity Awareness Month scavenger hunt. Right now, those who have completed it have great odds for winning one of the prizes in the drawings. Get out there and hunt down those clues! But for a few more minutes, continue reading about our two topics for this week – keeping your software up to date and important guidelines on using your Berry email account for personal business.
Welcome to week two of Cybersecurity Awareness Month! If you haven’t started your cybersecurity awareness training, I encourage you to do so soon. The deadline is October 31st. If you haven’t started the scavenger hunt, then what are you waiting for? There have already been several completions and I know that your knowledge and perspective will both be enhanced by digging for the answers to the questions in the hunt. AND…you can win a prize! Complete all five levels and fill out the form at the end of the hunt and you will have six chances to win something cool.
October is here! The weather is changing, classes are almost half-completed, Mountain Day is coming fast, and it is Cybersecurity Awareness Month! It’s that time of year to take a few minutes to examine our behaviors and awareness level, complete some training, go on a digital scavenger hunt, and maybe win some prizes! In addition to three more articles covering cybersecurity awareness topics this month, there is yet another scavenger hunt, open to students, faculty, and staff, where you will dive into topics related or adjacent to cybersecurity, solve the clues, and maybe end up with a Sony Bluetooth speaker or some other cool gizmo.
We’re fully underway for the Fall 2025 semester. Classes are in full swing, sports are active, and dangerous emails continue to fill our Inboxes. All of the usual cybersecurity threats are still out there, only now they are augmented by generative artificial intelligence (genAI). Of all things to improve the ability of cyber-attackers to be more successful, genAI has moved the needle the most. Now, instead of simple emails claiming you owe money for a Geek Squad subscription, you might receive an entire email thread generated solely to convince you to hand over your money or account credentials.
Welcome to a brand new year here at Berry College! I know everyone has a lot on their plates right now, so this newsletter will be to the point, but I have a lot of things to share with you. Speaking of things to share, this newsletter is a monthly production of the Office of Information Security, which is part of the Office of Information Technology (OIT)