As the CISO at Chapman, I often hear this understandable response when we notify someone that their credentials appeared in an external data breach: “But Chapman wasn’t breached.” That’s usually correct, and it can still present a real risk. When breaches occur elsewhere on the internet, email addresses and passwords are frequently exposed. If a password used on another site
Hello Chapman community, this is your CISO with a brief reminder on how to identify and prevent phishing and scams. Phishing tactics appear in both Chapman and personal accounts, including email, banking, and shopping. The following habits will help protect your work and personal information. Apply the STOP Method: A Quick Guide for the Chapman Community It’s 8:12 a.m.,
March Madness has arrived. Brackets will be tested, underdogs will advance, and dramatic finishes will dominate the highlights. But while the excitement unfolds on the court, cybercriminals are also stepping up their game, launching a full-court press on inboxes across higher education, including ours. Periods of heightened attention and activity are prime opportunities for scams
As Valentine’s Day approaches, many in our Chapman community look forward to celebrating with friends, partners, and loved ones. Unfortunately, this season also brings a significant spike in romance scams, schemes where cybercriminals exploit trust, emotions, and loneliness for financial gain. Reports from universities, national law enforcement experts, and global fraud prevention organizations all point
Happy New Year, Panthers! As the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) here at Chapman University, January is a great time to refresh the habits that keep our community safe online. I’m guessing most of you are not like me and didn’t make any New Year’s cybersecurity resolutions. No worries, I made some for you. To kick off 2026, here are practical New Year’s Cybersecurity
AI tools have quickly become part of everyday work in higher education. You might use them to troubleshoot a tech issue, draft a document, prep a lesson, or answer a quick question. That convenience is exactly what attackers are now exploiting. Recent security research, including reports from Malwarebytes, highlights a growing campaign where malicious Google ads and
December is here again, and while we’re busy with holiday cheer, finals, and festivities, cybercriminals are busy upgrading their toolkits. As the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Chapman, my goal is to keep our community safe online throughout the season. Last year, we met Scammer Claus—the holiday trickster who lured victims with fake emails and festive scams. This year, Scammer Claus has
On Thanksgiving Eve, while the rest of Plymouth Rock Institute of Technology (PRIT) was bustling with students heading home and staff shutting down their offices, one employee lingered at their desk, catching up on emails. Among the usual clutter sat a message with the cheerful subject line: “Happy Thanksgiving!” It looked harmless enough, festive, even.
Cybercriminals are constantly refining their tactics, and phishing remains the most prevalent and dangerous form of social engineering. With the rise of AI, these attacks are becoming more convincing, harder to detect, and increasingly personalized. We would like to share some tips on how to detect and report the most prevalent phishing emails and scams.
Operating system and software updates are more than just routine maintenance—they’re your device’s first line of defense. While they often improve performance and introduce new features, their vital role is patching vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit. By regularly updating your apps and operating systems, you reduce your exposure to threats and ensure your technology runs