A bunch of us have gotten it. An email saying that your email account is going to be suspended unless you verify your username and password. An Amazon purchase confirmation for something hella expensive that you never ordered. A vague notification that someone has shared a file with you. Or the classic work from home job offer that only requires 4 hours and pays $400 a week. Enough hackers! We’re tired of you trying to steal our money and personal data. You are canceled!

Picture this: After hours of procrastination, you finally make your way to your desk and flip open your laptop, pepperoni pizza in hand. Then you hit a wall — the login screen. With your English paper due in the morning, your brain chooses this moment to have the memory of a goldfish. Your first attempt to log in is unsuccessful. No worries, you say with slight panic in your eyes. You try again. “Oops! Enter the correct email address and password to sign in.” Suddenly, pizza is not your priority. You are in a fight for your academic life!

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could protect your password with another password? Multifactor authentication does just that. Think of it like placing your housekeys in a safety deposit box that can only be opened by a facial scan.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a cybersecurity measure that requires anyone logging in to prove their identity in additional ways. After you enter your username and password (something only you know), you then have to prove your identity with something only you have, like a fingerprint, facial scan, or your cellphone. 

You’re probably no stranger to those little pop-up windows telling you that software updates are available for your device or app. If you’re tempted to click “Remind me later”, you’re not alone. According to a National Cybersecurity Alliance survey, almost 2 in 5 people admit that they “sometimes,” “rarely,” or “never” install software updates.

I’m not going to pretend to be a hip Gen-Z (as evidenced by the fact that I just said “hip Gen-Z”). And I get it – you don’t love email. You can just text someone on WhatsApp or post to Instagram or Snapchat (or whatever social media you prefer). There are easier, real-time forms of communication that you can use to connect with others.

Managing your academic demands can be a challenge. Unlike high school, you have much more control over which classes you take, how you organize your time, and when and where you do your work. That’s a lot of freedom … and can be a lot of stress. Pitt provides several apps and online services to help students manage their academics and get the most out of their classes. Here are some of the most important ones for you to know.

Attending Pitt gives you many advantages: a world-class education, exceptional research opportunities, a supportive environment, and a global network of Panther alumni. Pitt IT is here to support that mission with some great benefits of their own. Get all these awesome IT perks to enhance your Pitt experience.

A new semester brings many things: new friends, classmates, instructors colleagues; a new schedule; and a new year of working on your device. Unfortunately, it also brings new cybersecurity threats, with hackers hoping to wreak havoc with your online identity. But you can stop them in their tracks. Here are some tips for keeping your information, your devices, and yourself safe and secure.

Pitt IT provides loads of software and mobile apps at no cost for students. It can take a while to install them onto your devices, so get it out of the way now while the term is still young. But which ones should you get? Here are our top recommendations.

Starting college and moving onto campus or a new off-campus apartment has a learning curve. You need to find where to get a late-night bite, the best hangout spots, and where your classes are. You also need to figure out how to use all the networks, services, apps, and online tools at Pitt … so there may come a time when you need tech support! Pitt IT is here to help, no matter where you are or what time it is. Here are six ways we make that easy for you.