OIT Quarterly Security Update: December 2026 Edition

Securing the Herd: SMU Quarterly Security Update

Hello Mustangs,

What a year—and what a welcome. It has been a pleasure getting to know the SMU community and working alongside so many of you to strengthen our cybersecurity culture. I was especially inspired by the level of engagement during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Thank you to everyone who participated, learned something new, and helped make it a spook-tacular success.

As we head into the holiday season, it’s important to keep those lessons top of mind. This time of year is prime season for scammers, but a few smart habits can go a long way in keeping your information—and your holiday spirit—safe. In this issue, you’ll find tips to help #SecureTheSeason, insights from our recent phishing campaign, and updates on the continued rollout of Microsoft Authenticator.

Thank you again for the warm welcome and your continued involvement. I’m looking forward to building on this momentum and sharing even more cybersecurity initiatives in the year ahead.

Staying secure, one Mustang at a time.

Corrina Taylor
Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)

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#SecureTheSeason: Don’t Let Scammers Steal Your Holiday Spirit

The holiday season brings joy, celebration, and—unfortunately—an annual spike in online scams. This season, join us in helping #SecureTheSeason and keep scammers off your shopping list.
You Have a New Voicemail… Or Do You? What Our Phishing Campaign Revealed

SMU launched a simulated phishing campaign intended to reinforce security habits and to create an experience that could be learned from. Let’s dive into the message and see what exactly made this a “phish.”
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Taking Advantage of Microsoft Authenticator Today

For the past couple of months, we have shared the benefits of Microsoft Authenticator with its improved feature set. This Spring it will be the primary Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) solution for the University, so let’s look at the passkey advantage.
Thank You for Making Cybersecurity Awareness Month a Spook-tacular Success!

Now that Cybersecurity Awareness Month has come to a close, we would like to thank everyone who joined us in celebrating and learning throughout the month of October. We'd like to introduce you to our 2025 Cyber Champions.
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