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Miami hosts information security awareness week

Staff Report

The preponderance of social networking, online banking and other information-rich, Internet-based transactions makes information security a greater challenge than ever before.

Miami University will be hosting an Information Security Awareness Week beginning Oct. 25.

Events having to do with this subject matter will be held on the Oxford, Hamilton and Middletown campuses.

The event will kick off at the Middletown campus 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8 in Johnston Hall. Events will include information about protecting your privacy in the new age of social media. Tuesday events will be held at the Hamilton Campus in the Wilkins Conference Center starting at 9 a.m. Special Agent Cynthia Cronin of the FBI will be presenting at 9:10 a.m. about career paths.

Oxford campus events will begin on Wednesday with an information security booth in King Cafe from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and then at Cook Field from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday's Oxford campus events include a presentation at 10 a.m. from JD Rogers, the Director of Information Security, Great American Financial Resources, Inc. regarding the latest trends and strategies of security and hacking. Chris Bernard, Director of Network Engineering and Telecommunications at Miami will present at 10:15 about the future of chat technology on campus.

Coupons for discounted laptop locks at the Miami bookstore will be available, while supplies last, during the various activities. Presentation attendees will also have a chance to win a free laptop lock.

"I am concerned about my level of security on the web, or lack there of, and am excited to learn about ways I can go about protecting myself in cyberspace," first-year Megan Garcia said.

Randy Hollowell, senior communication and web coordinator of information technology services, said the activities will promote awareness among faculty and students alike.

"The Information Security Department wants to spread awareness to the campus, not as a means to scare students or faculty, but to educate them on the topic, because so much is done electronically today that people should be mindful about their activities online," Hollowell said.

UPDATED (10/12/11): This story was updated to correct previous inaccuracies regarding event dates and times.


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