Staying safe online is an important part of studying effectively at university. Good cyber security habits help protect your university account, personal information, devices, files and money.
This page gives a quick overview of the main things students can do to reduce cyber risks. You can also complete Cyber Resilience and You! , a free online course designed to help students recognise common cyber risks and take simple steps to protect themselves.
Use strong, unique passwords.
Use different passwords for university, banking, email and social media accounts. A password manager can help you keep track of them.
Use multi-factor authentication.
MFA adds an extra check when you sign in. Only approve sign-in requests that you recognise and are expecting.
Be cautious with emails, messages and QR codes.
Stop and check before clicking links, opening attachments or entering personal information. Be especially careful with urgent messages, unexpected requests, prize offers, payment demands or messages asking you to verify account details.
Keep your devices and apps up to date.
Updates often fix security problems. Turn on automatic updates where you can.
Take care on public Wi-Fi and shared computers.
Avoid entering sensitive information on public or shared devices where possible. Always sign out of university systems when you are finished.
Protect your files.
Save university work in OneDrive, check that syncing is working, and keep important files organised. See Saving, Backups, and File Versions for more guidance.
Think before sharing personal information online.
Check social media privacy settings and avoid posting information that could help someone guess your passwords, answer security questions or target you with scams.
Students can be targeted through:
If something feels suspicious, do not click the link or reply with personal information. Go directly to the official website or contact the organisation through a trusted route.
Cyber Resilience and You! is a free online course designed for students. It uses realistic student-focused scenarios to help you recognise common cyber risks and make safer decisions online.
The course covers practical issues such as:
The course takes around one hour to complete.
Last modified by Student and Academic Services