Stay cybersafe at conferences | Cyber Security | UC Davis Health

Cyber criminals are on the prowl to take advantage of conference attendees who are not practicing good cybersafety. Even if you are just going downtown for a work-related event, you are still in a public environment and at risk for theft of your information and identity. Follow these tips to keep yourself and your data safe.

Before You Go

• Attend conferences only with devices that you need.
• If you have a laptop that you have not used for a while, call IT at 1-916-734-HELP, (916-734-4357) to get assistance with making sure your that your laptop operating system and applications are up-to-date.
• Ensure that your UC Davis Health Remote Access VPN (virtual private network) connection is working. UC Davis Health provides remote access VPN for employees and non-employees who are authorized to connect to the UC Davis Health network from remote locations. VPN should solely be used for conducting UC Davis Health business. For more information, visit Overview of Virtual Private Network (VPN).
• Obtain a privacy screen cover for your laptop so that curious eyes do not land on sensitive information.
• If you need assistance in preparation for conference attendance or are unsure of the health of your devices, contact IT at 1-916-734-HELP, (916-734-4357).

In Transit and While You are There

• Always keep track of your devices.
• Avoid connecting devices to untrusted accessories (such as printers, USB drives, etc.).
• Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use.
• If your department offers a private hotspot, that is the recommended network connection. When you must use public Wi-Fi for business purposes, use UC Davis Health Remote Access to make sure that your network connection is secure (encrypted). Overview of Virtual Private Network (VPN)

When You Return

• If you downloaded any apps specifically for your trip and no longer need them, delete them and their associated data.