Online security training launched to support SecureUGA initiative

ATHENS, Ga.— Information on the Web site for SecureUGA (secure.uga.edu) informs everyone at UGA that "every individual, regardless of his or her position, has a responsibility to protect our sensitive and critical data." The main focus of the SecureUGA initiative is "every individual" and the awareness, training, and education requirements necessary to address the responsibilities everyone at UGA has regarding information security.

Among the awareness, training, and education opportunities accessible from the SecureUGA Web site is an extensive training course in the SANS OnDemand series, StaySharp: Computer and Network Security Awareness. The class was developed by SANS Institute (SysAdmin, Network, and Security), a worldwide security training and education organization.

StaySharp provides a more in-depth complement to the brief, self-paced presentations accessible on the SecureUGA Web site. There are currently four self-paced presentations, and all faculty, staff, and administrators are required to complete the four awareness modules in 2008. Compliance with this requirement will be sent in a report to all deans and unit heads at the end of November.

The StaySharp: Computer and Network Security Awareness online course is being offered to all UGA students, faculty, and staff to teach participants with little or no experience important concepts and technology that every computer and Internet user should know.

"Security awareness, training, and education are still the single most cost-effective means of improving awareness of the need to protect UGA resources and to develop skills and knowledge so all UGA computer users can perform their jobs more securely," said Stanton Gatewood, UGA's chief information security officer. "Now having awareness training online and readily available to all UGA computer users, 24/7, from anywhere, gives everyone a chance to learn more about computer security at work and at home."

In this StaySharp class, attendees will learn about many different threats, antivirus programs, firewalls, anti-spyware, identity theft, phishing, how to create strong passwords, and more. These learning objectives will raise awareness and give each participant the basic skills needed for protection from various threats on the Internet whether at home, on the road, or at work.

After completing all learning objectives, each participant will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate can easily be downloaded and printed.

Access instructions for StaySharp: Computer and Network Security Awareness are available on the SecureUGA Web site:

secure.uga.edu

About the Office of the CIO and EITS
The Office of the Chief Information Officer and Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) are committed to the mission of UGA as a land-and-sea-grant institution where academics come first and the research extensive university community encourages research efforts at the undergraduate and graduate levels. To that end, under the direction of the University´s Chief Information Officer, EITS endeavors to provide a robust, reliable, and secure information technology infrastructure, maintain essential production services, and offer world-class support.