In this episode of the CyberAware Podcast, our hosts, Raj and Sherwin, discuss cybersecurity awareness during COVID-19. Mike Hedlund, the President of the Information Security Student Organization (ISSO) at Minnesota State University, Mankato, joins Sherwin and Raj to share his thoughts on vulnerabilities that have heightened due to COVID-19. Together, they delve into the topics of browser extensions, phishing and scams related to COVID-19, and the recent transition to online working, teaching, and learning. Mike shares his personal experiences and gives advice on how to keep up with work and school online.

In the second half of the podcast, the group shares their thoughts on certifications in the information security industry. They also chat about ISSO’s experience at the 2020 Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition in Alexandria, Minnesota. Mike shares his team’s experience in competing in the hypothetical scenario to correct vulnerabilities in systems at risk of being breached. The group wraps up the podcast with a quick discussion on ISSO’s future ideas for hosting information security events, like hackathons, and how COVID-19 has affected their plans.

In this first episode of the CyberAware Podcast, our hosts, Raj and Sherwin, delve into the world of cybersecurity to uncover the basics of phishing and patching – two of the Four P’s of cybersecurity. Dr. Veltsos, a professor in Computer Information Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato, joins Sherwin and Raj to discuss phishing attacks in the current COVID-19 climate. They share helpful tips on how to spot phishing messages, how to avoid falling victim to them, and how to report them. Dr. Veltsos also answers cybersecurity questions frequently asked by students and staff and shares his best advice on how to get involved with cybersecurity in everyday life.

During the second half of the podcast, the group discusses the importance of patching your devices, or keeping software and firmware up to date. Sherwin, Raj, and Dr. Veltsos address how updating devices on a regular basis can help increase security and reduce the risk of a cyberattack. Lastly, helpful tips on staying safe while working and learning from home, including how to be secure while using remote desktop capabilities and how to avoid Zoom-bombing, are shared. The group wraps up the podcast with a final discussion on how the transition to online learning has affected students and professors.

Dr. Veltsos: 
Twitter: @DrInfoSec
https://twitter.com/DrInfoSec

Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisveltsos/

MNSU Cybersecurity news, events, and resources :
 https://mankato.mnsu.edu/it-solutions/CyberAware-CyberSecurity/

MNSU Report Phishing Link:
https://mankato.mnsu.edu/it-solutions/help-support/explore-support-articles/report-office-365-spam/

Resources Dr. Veltsos says you should be aware of
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Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Cyber Actors Take Advantage of COVID-19 Pandemic to Exploit Increased Use of Virtual Environments 
https://www.ic3.gov/media/2020/200401.aspx

Open DNS config for Windows:
 https://support.opendns.com/hc/en-us/articles/228007207-Windows-10-Configuration\

Open DNS config for Mac: 
https://support.opendns.com/hc/en-us/articles/228006927-Configuration-for-Macintosh-OSX-computers

Free and Low Cost Online Cybersecurity Learning Content | NIST 
https://www.nist.gov/itl/applied-cybersecurity/nice/resources/online-learning-content