{"id":70920,"date":"2024-01-12T14:49:26","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T21:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=70920"},"modified":"2024-01-12T14:53:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T21:53:51","slug":"rise-in-modern-cybersecurity-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/rise-in-modern-cybersecurity-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you prepared for the rise in modern cybersecurity risks?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new wave of cybersecurity risks is threatening the NAU community\u2019s personal, academic and professional lives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A new AI-based phone scam is being reported at NAU in increasingly large numbers, and ITS is encouraging the NAU community to be aware of this threat so they can identify the warning signs and respond appropriately before being scammed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These attacks\u00a0use AI to clone an individual\u2019s voice from a short audio clip of an individual speaking. These audio clips can be garnered from content posted publicly online such as on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram, or by recording the individual while having them respond to questions on a fake call. NAU is monitoring a recent rise in malicious phone calls around campus.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These phone-based AI scams may take multiple forms and present a danger to you and those around you, who may receive calls and think you are in danger or in need of help. These scams normally use pressure tactics such as urgency, desperation, fear, punishment or financial repercussions if you do not act immediately. If you believe at any point during a call that you are not actually talking to the person who identified themselves, <\/span>hang<\/span><\/b> up <\/span><\/b>and call them back on a number that you <\/span><\/b>know<\/span><\/b>, or the main number listed on their official website if you are interacting with a business. Never call the person or company back from a number that they provide over the phone or via email.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How is NAU affected?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

NAU sees many forms of phishing and email attacks targeting both students and employees. Every year at this time, we see an elevated number of job-related, W-2 and tax scams, as well as other time-sensitive scams seeking personal information and threatening financial repercussions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

People fall victim to these scams for a number of reasons. Many individuals do not believe they personally have anything to lose, are too busy or too stressed to recognize the warning signs or feel scared and pressured into responding to the malicious entity. If a malicious entity accesses your account, an attacker can possibly access your personal data, steal your paycheck, access your bank account, attack other systems impersonating you, and steal the personal information of students and other staff members at the university. <\/span>Because of the danger presented by responding to these types of scams by clicking on false links, replying to attackers or providing information to a malicious entity, NAU must take a strong stance and suspend your NAU account immediately to protect you, as well as the rest of the campus community.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In December, more than 257,000 malicious, phishing or threatening emails were blocked or removed from NAU email accounts. Last year, 318 campus community members had their passwords secured after responding to malicious entities, and 358 individuals were required to reset their Two-Step Verification after allowing a malicious or unauthorized entity into their NAU account. This represents only a small portion of threats that the university faces daily. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At this time, approximately 10 percent of campus community members do not successfully decipher phishing emails and, with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), attacks are rapidly evolving and putting you at even more risk. While NAU is constantly working on improving our security practices, introducing new security features and updating policies to better protect both you as an individual and the campus community, your vigilance is our greatest defense.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the most prolific cyber threats that plague our campus include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n