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IT Center Blog

Schlagwort: ‘IT-Security’

The Impact of Social Media on It Security

November 4th, 2024 | by
Einfluss von social media auf die IT-Sicherheit

Source: Freepik

Nowadays, almost everyone can be found on one or more social media platforms and runs one or more profiles, some of them for personal and others for professional purposes. Some use them to network, share photos of special events or stay in touch with their friends. Others use them to promote their company, association or organization. Although social networks offer numerous benefits and have become an integral part of our everyday lives, they also pose a number of risks, particularly in terms of IT security. In this post, we would like to highlight the various aspects of the impact of social media on IT security and provide an insight into how these challenges can be overcome.

 

 

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Halloween: The Nightmares of Cyber Security

October 31st, 2024 | by
Three carved halloween pumpkins

Source: Freepik

Fear. A feeling that probably all of us are familiar with. Especially around Halloween, the potential for scares increases. Be it the fear of disguised, made-up figures or even the worry that your sensitive data will fall into the hands of unauthorized persons. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that October of all months is IT Security Month? In this article, we take a look at a few “IT horror stories”, how you can protect yourself from them and share some interesting figures.

 

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Basics at RWTH: E-Mail

October 18th, 2024 | by
Vectors using email and communication icons with a large letter icon in the background.

Source: Freepik

As part of our blog series “Basics at RWTH”, today we are introducing you to the RWTH e-mail service, which is essential for your daily communication in everyday university life. We have compiled the most important information for you so that you can get started quickly and easily with your e-mail inbox – if you haven’t already done so.

 

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Types of Firewalls

October 16th, 2024 | by
Firewall

Source: Freepik

In the first part of our blog series, we covered the basics of firewalls: what they are, how they work, and why they are essential for network security. Today, we will take a closer look at the different types of firewalls used in IT-Security.

 

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The Role of Firewalls in Network Security

August 21st, 2024 | by
chart network security

Source: Freepik

In a world that is increasingly characterised by digital connectivity, network security is becoming an essential issue. A fundamental but often misunderstood component of network security is the firewall. Most of you have probably heard the term before. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the role of firewalls, their importance in network security and how they help to prevent threats. Read the rest of this entry »

Increased Cyber Security at RWTH Through MFA Introduction

July 29th, 2024 | by
Security concept illustration of people holding a chain

Source: Freepik

Universities are increasingly becoming the target of cyber attacks. According to the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), the current threat level is higher than ever before [1]. In view of this growing threat and the increasing number of corresponding attacks, the Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW) of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) published an Agreement on Cyber Security at Universities (VzC) at the end of 2023. With a total of 12 measures, this serves as a basis for securing university networks. At the same time, the BSI regularly recommends targeted measures to defend against threats.

Against this backdrop, the specific protection of RWTH Aachen University’s IT infrastructure is increasingly indispensable.

 

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Ethical Hacking: Hacking for More Security

July 19th, 2024 | by
A woman focused on computer code, engaged in hacking activities.

Source: Freepik

Imagine you let someone deliberately try to break into your house to test your security system. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? But that’s exactly what ethical hackers do in the digital space. They try to break into systems – with permission, of course – to uncover security vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by criminals. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about ethical hacking, the important role it plays in IT security and how it is used in practice.

 

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Help, My Email Password Was Compromised!

July 17th, 2024 | by
Laptop with spam pop-ups

Source: Freepik

In the digital world, email accounts are a central part of our lives. If your email password has been compromised, it can have serious consequences: A hacked email account gives cybercriminals the opportunity to send phishing emails with fraudulent links to your family members, friends and addressees in your name.

In this article, you will learn how you can better protect your accounts and devices to prevent them from being compromised.

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Information for Employees – Security of Webex

June 24th, 2024 | by
Green lock on a black circuit board

Source: Freepik

The communication and collaboration tool Webex has been in use at RWTH Aachen University since November 2023. This is currently being criticized due to security incidents (German only).

As IT security is a very high priority for RWTH, the issue is being taken very seriously by both the IT Center as a whole and the relevant specialist department.

Following discussions with the manufacturer Cisco and our own intensive investigation, we were able to establish that RWTH and its Webex users are not affected by the security incidents.

The necessary security precautions had already been implemented at RWTH before Webex was introduced.

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Secure Access to the Institute VPN at RWTH Aachen University

June 3rd, 2024 | by
Cables

Source: Own illustration

In order to be able to access the RWTH network from anywhere in a secure, encrypted way, the academic institutions of RWTH Aachen University can provide a VPN instance to a restricted group of people if required. This allows users to securely access their resources at their institution. As part of the introduction of multi-factor authentication at RWTH, the security requirements for these VPN instances have increased.

There are various options for managing and enabling VPN access, which we would like to introduce to you in the following blog post.

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