Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About
    • Leadership
    • Mission and Strategic Plan
    • Accreditation
    • Our City
    • Facts and Figures
    • Campus Safety
    • Buildings and Maps
    • Contact Us
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Academics
    • Majors & Programs
    • Class Search
    • Catalogs
    • Academic Calendar
    • Colleges
    • Academic Affairs
    • Online Learning
    • International
    • Library
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Registrar
    • Visit UNO
    • Request Info
    • Apply
  • Student Life Backback to Main menu
    • Student Life
    • Division of Student Life and Wellbeing
    • Academic & Career Development Center
    • Accessibility
    • Housing & Residence Life
    • Inclusion
    • Service
    • Student Conduct & Community Standards
    • Student Involvement
    • Student Safety
    • Wellness
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Engagement
    • Office of Engagement
    • Campus Resources for Community
    • Service Learning Academy
    • Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
    • Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs
    • Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center
    • Faculty Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Voter Engagement
    • Community Engagement Partnership Initiative
  • Research Backback to Main menu
    • Research
    • Research News
    • Centers and Institutes
  • Athletics Backback to Main menu
    • Athletics
    • Baxter Arena
    • Omaha Mavericks Website
  • Alumni Backback to Main menu
    • Alumni
    • Transcripts
    • Thompson Center
  1. UNO
  2. News
  3. 2021
  4. 07
  5. UNO Experts on Safeguarding Your Online Identity

UNO Experts on Safeguarding Your Online Identity

  • published: 2021/07/22
  • contact: Tavion Davis - University Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
  • search keywords:
  • UNO Experts
  • IS&T
  • cybersecurity
From left: Robin Gandhi, Ph.D., Matthew Hale, Ph.D., and Bill Mahoney, Ph.D., provided tips to safeguard your online identity in an increasingly digital world.

From left: Robin Gandhi, Ph.D., Matthew Hale, Ph.D., and Bill Mahoney, Ph.D., provided tips to safeguard your online identity in an increasingly digital world.

As more aspects of our lives involve utilizing online platforms and communication, an important concept to keep in mind is how to safeguard your online identity in a digital era.

Bill Mahoney, Ph.D., a professor of computer science at UNO in the School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, is an expert in Critical Infrastructure Security.

Matthew Hale, Ph.D., an associate professor of cybersecurity at UNO in the School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, is an expert in online privacy and security.

Robin Gandhi, Ph.D., director of the UNO School of Interdisciplinary Informatics, is an expert in information assurance and risk assessment.

As the world moves forward to expand the capabilities of what you can do in the digital world, here is some advice and tips from our faculty:

What risks do people face when sharing sensitive information online?

Mahoney: First, people tend to not think and just “fire away” when posting personal information. In particular, if the site where you post the information is publicly accessible (wide open Facebook page, for example) posting may be one of your biggest risks online.

Most people know not to do obvious things such as passwords and such, but they don’t think about posting photos of their new car, news about the kid’s elementary school, and so on. These clues make password guessing easier for those that want to take over your identity.

Photos are a particular risk because many smartphones will add GPS coordinates to the metadata in the image.

Can you share a bit about Geolocation?

Gandhi & Hale: GPS-enabled smartphones allow photos, videos, messages, and social media posts to be Geotagged. Location information is embedded in the metadata for media alongside file name, date, camera information, etc.

When geotagged media is shared publicly, location information is often inadvertently shared along with it. Such information aggregated over time starts to reveal private information such as: work and home locations, daily routines, frequented places, vacation destinations, shopping places, and much more.

What steps can people take to protect information that other people do not need to see when online?

Mahoney: An obvious first step is to restrict (severely) the list of outsiders with access to the social media you post. Sites that start off “wide open” are the worst offenders, but many of these sites make it difficult to locate the controls needed to disable the external access.

Next, the best menu item on a web browser is the one used to clear browsing history, saved cookies, and content. Use it often, or enable the “private browsing mode” that some web clients use. A more extreme method is to use a browser such as the “Tor Browser Bundle” that completely masks your identity from the sites you visit.

Extra Tip: I am particularly interested in how people don’t seem to care about location services. This is something on your phone that should be OFF, period, or set to “Use when App is running” at least.

Gandhi & Hale: Protecting privacy requires Data Hiding. Deleting or hiding metadata prevents sensitive patterns from being learned over time.

To conceal browsing patterns over the Internet, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) are very effective. VPNs work by forming a tunnel between your current connection and a known network. Once a tunnel is formed, all requests you make appear as if they originate from within the known network, since they emanate from the location you have tunneled to.

How do you know if your identity has been stolen?

Mahoney: People need to do a few simple things, such as frequently monitoring their credit card and online banking statements.

Some banks have systems to send you a text if you withdraw money at an ATM, so if these features are available turn them on. Also, if the banks have any kind of two-factor authentication make sure it’s on.

What do you do if your identity was stolen?

First, if you think your identity has been stolen notify companies that you do business with. You should also go to each website where you purchase goods and change the password and delete the credit card information.

Contact each credit card issuer and let them know so that they can disable the previous account number and issue you new cards. Contact each of the three big credit reporting companies and inform them or place a fraud alert on your reports. Next, it’s good to file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

  • News Sections:
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events
SHARE

News Sections

  • News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured Stories

  • Social Mobility, Experiential Learning Focus of Interview with UNO Chancellor Li
  • UNO Students Graduate as Community Engaged Scholars
  • The Semester Guide
  • More Than 4,800 UNO Students Named to Dean's, Chancellor's Lists in Fall 2022

Contact Us

If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu.

About University Communications

  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • Report an Incident or Concern

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page