Six Words Spotlight

Contract and Grant Officer Luz Molina chose challenging, ever-changing, invisible, state-of-the-art, crime-stopper and defense. Let’s find out a little more about Luz’s thoughts on cybersecurity. 

...And now Luz in her own words:

We rely on the perception that UC San Diego represents a safe space for its community whether that means physically, mentally, spiritually, philosophically or, in this case, digitally. In terms of cybersecurity, we feel protected because the university has state-of-the-art cybersecurity protocols, firewalls, and such, but there’s a lot we need to realize.

Despite best efforts, there are still some phishing messages that are very pervasive and manage to get through, which should serve as an important reminder. If I receive two this year, how many more have been stopped? Knowing what’s on the other side of that firewall is important to understand just how sheltered we are and what we have to do to better protect ourselves in and out of the university. 

I chose Challenging when I talk about cybersecurity because there is no easy way around the problem of cybercrime. At the very least, it’s fair to say it’s far from simple. Tackling this issue is one that requires both the technology and the people to keep us safe, and that definition of people is meant to be understood broadly. 

When it comes to protecting the campus community from threats, the goal post is continually moving, which is why I also selected Ever-changing. These cybercriminal attacks are always evolving in nature. There isn’t just one way for these individuals to circumvent our security protocols. And just when we assess our vulnerabilities and propose the necessary solutions, we only have so much time before they are rendered less than effective. 

Invisible is an important part of this discussion of cybersecurity since we need to know and understand the background, or nature, of an attack. We must be able to discern whether something is an attack or not. And since a lot of what is kept out is unseen by most folks, the real work being done is kept behind the curtain, so we end up with a false sense of security. 

State of the art reflects the notion that our solutions need to be forever on the cutting edge of technology. With so many new threats being introduced every day, we need to make sure we are ahead of the curve… that we are putting the necessary resources to developing wildly innovative solutions and implementing futureproof strategies that keep cybercriminal activity at bay. 

We all have to be Crime stoppers. We can’t have one department to protect us. Huge companies are so incredibly vulnerable when they rely on one person or team to carry the weight of an entire organization's safety. As a result, they have been attacked because of small windows of opportunity that can be found in what seems like the most innocuous of places or activities. The responsibility doesn’t rest solely in the hands of one person or department. It requires community members to be united in their efforts to protect not only themselves but each other. 

It’s important that we actively play Defense. It bears repeating… We have to protect ourselves and each other against cyber threats. If you receive a message that “feels” strange but attempts to look legitimate, reach out to your IT department. Don’t be silent and think someone else will take care of it. Every single person has to be vigilant from the start.

If I was to elevate cybersecurity here at UC San Diego, one thing that comes to mind is that the National Science Foundation/Department of Defense is concerned about foreign affiliations and disclosure by our researchers. We know that regulations are being developed and our implementation is yet to be known. Folks hear a lot about it within their department & want to know that it’s being discussed campus-wide as well. We need to ensure that the work we create here isn’t ripped off by a foreign entity.

What does cybersecurity mean to you? Submit your own Six Words today!