Hello Ichabods, and welcome to the latest cybersecurity blog topic where we would like to keep you up to date on how to remain safe online. This week, we would like to introduce you to a useful free resource called “;--have i been pwned?” or HIBP for short. As malicious actors across the web continue to compromise faculty and student accounts, it’s important to know quickly if your Washburn and personal accounts are secure. HIBP works similarly to a credit monitoring service, watching your back and letting you know if there is a security breach of your sensitive and hard-earned information.
What is HIBP?
“;-- have I been pwned”, found at https://haveibeenpwned.com, is a free online website that monitors internet forum, internet pastebins, and other locations likely to disclose personal data on the dark web, in order to quickly notify the general public if their information has been compromised.
To use, simply navigate to HIBP’s homepage and input the email address associated with the account you want to check, such as your fname.lname@washburn.edu account, and press the button to the right named ‘pwned?’ (you can also check on your personal email address too!). The website will then list what, if any, data breaches your email address has been found in. This way, you’ll be able to quickly find out what of your information has been compromised, and that you need to take action to secure your account quickly (such as changing your password). Additionally, HIBP has a subscription service (it’s free!) that will notify you immediately if your information is found compromised on the web.
Keep your information secure!
It is highly recommended that all Ichabods use and subscribe to HIBP for their Washburn accounts to prevent any loss of data, and malicious activity. Additionally, it’s a good idea to frequently change your passwords and never reuse them on other sites. Keep an eye out for fraudulent emails that may be trying to fool you into thinking you are logging into a Washburn University site. For more information, as well as tips and tricks for passwords, be sure to visit our blog.
Stay vigilant!
--WU ITS Information Security