College is an exciting and hectic time for college students. Between classes, clubs, jobs, homework, and the occasional nap, today’s college students juggle a lot, and cybercriminals know it!

Whether you’re sharing streaming service passwords with your dormmates (don’t do that) or submitting assignments at 2 a.m., you can be a cybersecure student by adopting a few behaviors.

 

1. Protect Your Email
Your .edu email address is your gateway to more than just student discounts; it also provides access to your school accounts, financial aid, and personal data. Hackers know this and use phishing emails designed to look like official messages from your university. So, beware.
  • Always double-check the sender’s address. A genuine school email won’t come from [email protected].
  • Don’t click on suspicious links or download unexpected attachments.
  • If in doubt, go directly to the source — visit your school’s official website or contact your school’s IT department.
  • Be highly cautious of any message demanding you take quick action.
2. Use Strong, Unique Passwords and a Password Manager
Remembering a dozen passwords is annoying. We get it, but reusing the same one for your school account, Netflix, and your bank app? That’s an open invitation to cybercriminals. Today, each password must be at least 16 characters long, contain a random mix of numbers, letters, and special characters, and be unique to the account. So how are you supposed to remember all these long, strong passwords? A password manager is your best option.
  • Don’t make passwords obvious with info like your birthday, pet’s name, or “1234.”
  • Passwords that are 16 characters or longer take billions of years for hackers to crack!
  • Use a password manager to keep track of everything – your university might even have one you can download. There are many options available.

 

3. Turn on Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
Multifactor adds an extra layer of security, like a door bolt for your accounts. When MFA is on, you’ll log in with your password and then take a second step, like logging into a special app on your Phone. It’s one of the easiest ways to stop hackers, even if they guess your password.
  • See if your college has a suggested MFA option for your academic accounts and student portal.
  • Turn on MFA for all your accounts, especially banking, email, and social media apps.
  • Never share an MFA code or approve an MFA app request you didn’t make – even if someone “official” calls, emails, or texts you! If you receive an unsolicited request, please get in touch with your school’s IT department.

 

4. Watch for Scams Through Texts and DMs
Remember – phishing can also happen through text messages, or DMs on any social media platform.
Scammers often pose as student organizations, professors, or even campus security. They want to trick you into clicking a link, sharing personal info, or downloading malware.
  • Beware of any unexpected message with a sense of urgency, like “Act now or lose access!”
  • Delete any request for money, gift cards, bank account info, or cryptocurrency.
  • Official organizations, like universities, student loan services, or the government, will NOT text or DM you about setting up payments.
  • Never scan QR codes without any context or in a public place – it’s always a better idea to go directly to a URL or search for the website than to use unfamiliar QR codes. Keep Your Devices Updated

 

5. Keep Your Devices Updated
We all click “Remind me later” on software updates. But we shouldn’t. Those updates often fix serious security flaws. The longer you wait to update, the more vulnerable your laptop or Phone becomes.
  • Set up automatic updates so you get the latest security patches.
  • Regularly (at least once a week) shut down and restart your laptops, phones, and tablets – once a week is good.

 

 6. Back Up Your Stuff 
Imagine losing your laptop the night before finals, which means you also lose all your class notes, papers, and that group project no one else worked on. Many college students have dealt with losing critical documents, and the only way to protect yourself is to back them up.
Whether it’s due to theft, a spill, ransomware, or your hard drive failing, data loss happens. Backing up your files ensures you won’t lose everything if disaster strikes.
  • Use cloud services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or Apple iCloud – there’s probably a cloud service already installed on your laptop you can use.
  • Keep a physical backup, such as an external hard drive, for added peace of mind.
  • Once every semester, double-check that your backups are working and, you know, backing up your stuff.

 

7. Lock Your Laptop and Phone 
This one’s simple, but essential. When you walk away from your device, even for a quick break, lock it. You don’t want a stranger (or goofy roommate) accessing your stuff.
  • Use a PIN, password, facial recognition, or fingerprint scan for the best protection.
  • In your device’s settings, use Find My Device for Apple or Android products so you can remotely wipe the data off if it is stolen or lost.
  • DON’T share device PINs and passwords with roommates or friends.

 

8. Clean Up Your Digital Footprint 
College is a time to explore, try new things…and you might overshare a little (or a lot) online. Remember, what you post now could follow you long after graduation. You don’t have to become a fully digital hermit; remember to share with care.
  • Review your privacy settings on social media. Change it to an audience that makes you comfortable.
  • Google yourself and see what comes up.
  • Remove old accounts you no longer use.

 

9. Know Where to Get Help 
Most colleges have IT support services or a help desk. If you think you’ve been hacked, clicked on a questionable link, or feel unsure, don’t be embarrassed (we’ve all done it). Ask for help.
  • You can often get computer or other technological help from your school’s IT department. Even if you get a “Blue Screen of Death,” they can help you more than random Google searches can.
  • You can report phishing or other suspicious online activity – and your school’s cybersecurity team will be happy you did.
  • If you are having problems or are confused by academic software, ask for help! Your school’s IT department wants to help you.

 

10. Be intelligent About AI Use 
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) programs, such as ChatGPT, are transforming the nature of education. Learn your school and professor’s policies and guidelines; they all have differing approaches to AI. Use AI as a tool, but not the answer; everyone is more interested in your critical thinking skills than in the computer.
  • Ask your professors what their AI policies are.
  • If permitted, use AI for outlining and brainstorming help, but don’t copy/paste your papers from ChatGPT or any AI platform – writing papers is a skill you want to become good at.
  • Don’t share sensitive data with AI because the platforms might use it for their training data and share it with someone else. Treat AI programs like social media – share with care!
Criminals don’t care if you’re just trying to get through your first year or writing your thesis or if you have a significant case of senioritis. If you’re online, you ARE a target!

 

National Cybersecurity Alliance