As the holiday season is underway, Simmons Technology is reminding users to be cautious of potential holiday scams and malicious cyber campaigns, particularly when browsing or shopping online. These scams can come in the form of emails or ecards with malicious links, attachments infected with malware, or requests to support fraudulent charities or causes. It is important to remain vigilant and avoid clicking on unfamiliar links or providing personal information to untrustworthy sources.
It is important to take extra precautions to protect yourself against common online shopping scams. Here are some tips to stay safe:
- Only shop on reliable websites from retailers you know and trust.
- Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails and be wary of email attachments.
- Never give out your financial or personal information via email or text.
- Watch out for fake package tracking emails, fake ecards, and fake charity donation scams.
- Look for “https://” in the address bar before entering your credit card information online.
- Don’t auto-save your passwords or credit card numbers.
- Regularly check your credit card and bank statements and report any discrepancies to your financial institution.
- Use text alerts provided by your banking app or site to help detect unusual activity.
- Pay with a credit card instead of a debit card, as credit cards offer protections that may reduce your liability if your information is used improperly.
- Ignore pop-up offers and deals, and make sure your devices, apps, and anti-virus software are always up-to-date.
- Protect your passwords by making them long and strong, never sharing them with anyone, and using two-factor or 2-step authentication whenever possible.
We encourage users to remain vigilant and stay safe during the holiday season.
If you are getting a new mobile device, it is important to enroll it with SharkPass/Duo to avoid any potential service disruptions. If you still have access to your existing device, you can find instructions on how to enroll a new device on the 
Simmons Technology partners with Duo, our two-step authentication vendor, to provide students, faculty, and staff with a secure and seamless login experience. As part of our ongoing effort to improve security, we periodically review and update our security controls. We are currently looking at ways to improve our security platform, and as a result, there will be changes to the way we connect to Simmons’ computing resources. We ask that members of the community pay attention to any updates and be aware of how these changes may impact them.