Kategorie: ‘IT-Security’
Data Protection Day: Our Privacy

Source: Own illustration
On January 28, we celebrate European Data Protection Day to draw attention to the importance of data protection. This annual event is a reminder of the fundamental right to privacy and highlights efforts to strengthen the protection of personal data.
More IT Security for VPN: Introduction of MFA
Due to the growing digitalization in the private and professional environment, the risk of cyberattacks and phishing attacks is also constantly increasing. Universities are also becoming an increasingly frequent target of such attacks. This is why IT security is a key issue at RWTH Aachen University.
On February 1, 2024, multifactor-authentication (MFA) will be introduced for the VPN service at RWTH. This will significantly improve the protection of the IT services you use. The following blog post will explain what you need to do now.
Pioneering Steps into the Future of AI

Source: Freepik
Germany has taken significant steps in recent years to advance the development and application of artificial intelligence. The country’s AI action plan and digital strategy form the backbone of these efforts, setting out guidelines and measures to promote AI innovation.
Cluster security – MFA Now Mandatory

Source: Freepik
In May 2020, several supercomputers in Europe were attacked by hackers. They used compromised accounts of users on external systems. To prevent such attacks, the introduction of multi-factor authentication on the HPC cluster is an important step.
New Year’s Resolutions for More IT Security

Source: Freepik
For many, it’s part of the New Year’s ritual: New Year’s resolutions! According to Statista, the top three resolutions in Germany this year include saving more money, doing more sport, and eating more healthily. 17% of respondents even said they wanted to spend less time on social networks. When using social media, however, it is also important to make the user experience itself as secure as possible.
In the following blog post, we introduce you to five resolutions that will help you increase your IT security and support your approach to IT.
Security Mechanisms Unravelled: MFA

Source: Freepik
Multifactor-authentication (MFA) is a security method that enables access to digital resources such as devices, networks or online services by combining multiple authentication factors. Essentially, MFA requires at least two independent confirmations of a user’s identity to access the resource.
Warning About Free Outlook Apps

Source: Freepik
Attention! Microsoft has released new free apps for Outlook. However, the new Outlook apps store your login data (login name and password) in the Microsoft cloud. Emails are also transmitted to Microsoft without your consent.
Therefore, business use is prohibited for information security and data protection reasons. We also strongly advise against private use.
License-based Outlook programs, for example from Microsoft Office, and the Outlook Web App (OWA), which can be opened via a browser, are not affected. These may continue to be used. There are currently no security concerns, as these applications communicate directly with the RWTH Aachen University mail servers and no data is transferred to the Microsoft cloud.
We have put together a short FAQ for you on what you should know about this.
Changing Shared User Data When Logging in to Services

Source: Freepik
Currently you are being asked for your consent when logging in to services.
Why is this happening?
IDM.nrw is a project of the Digital University NRW. The aim is to lighten the effort for universities to access and provide services to each other throughout NRW.
IT Fairytale Hour – Part 2

Source: Freepik
Today we continue with our series, “All about the myths in the world of IT”.
If you missed the first part of the myths, feel free to check out our last post.
“The full moon causes sleepless nights” – a myth we all know. Experts have long since proven that the moon does not have magical powers. The brightness releases less melatonin in the brain, which helps us fall asleep.
So it’s worth taking another close look at widespread half-truths.
In the world of IT, there are myths that we can get to the bottom of together.
Today, it’s all about IT security and what you should know about it.




