Keep personal computing devices secure and up-to-date

Jack Kufahl, the UMHS chief information security officer, recently reminded us of the importance of regularly improving our information security procedures. This message is especially significant as we see increased use of mobile and personal devices to share personal, research, patient, and other sensitive data. To protect the UMHS network when we log in with our own devices, our IT teams are taking additional steps to improve security.

Traditionally, Apple iOS devices have not been susceptible to security holes, but hackers are getting smarter, and there are weaknesses even within Apple’s iOS if a device is not upgraded with the latest version. AirWatch is an essential tool available to UMHS staff to ensure that personal devices have all the security updates necessary to protect against vulnerabilities. Apple, Android, and Windows platforms are supported by AirWatch.

The best practice is to keep personal devices up-to-date with the latest operating system to protect against security vulnerabilities and threats. If you choose to use a personal laptop, smartphone, or tablet to connect to UMHS resources, AirWatch is strongly recommended to provide the most secure environment. AirWatch is going to be required beginning in January 2017 for all users wishing to connect to resources via the UMHS 802.1X secure wireless network.

See these resources for more information about AirWatch, including enrollment instructions.