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Information Security Office

黑料社区 to the Information Security Office at 黑料社区!

The ISO is dedicated to supporting a secure computing environment here at Miami. Advances in information technology have changed our daily lives. Most faculty and staff members use computers to manage, share, and store a wide range of information. Because you have access to information that is often personal and confidential, it is important for you to know how to protect that information. Information security is the responsibility of all members of the University community.

Purpose of Information Security Awareness

The purpose of awareness is to focus attention on information security, creating sensitivity to the threats and vulnerabilities of computer systems and recognition of the need to protect data, information, and systems.

Threats to Information Security

  • Password guessing
  • Accidental disclosure of confidential information
  • Misuse of systems or networks
  • Abuse of system privileges
  • Social engineering
  • Malicious viruses, worms, and Trojan horses from emails and downloaded files
  • Theft of mobile devices (laptops, PDAs) that contain confidential information

More Resources

Navigate using the buttons at the left for more information about information security topics, goals, and other resources that you can use to arm yourself in the fight against cybercrime. Each of us needs to be familiar with potential information security issues and how to prevent them in the future. You can never be too prepared for a cybersecurity event.

Contact Information Security to find out more about the ISO.

Information about Compromised Devices

IT Services takes information security seriously. If we detect that a device on our network has potentially been compromised by malware, viruses, or other various forms of malicious software, we take steps to protect the network. Namely, we block the infected device from accessing the MU-Wireless Wi-Fi network until the malicious software has been purged.

If you have issues connecting to the Wi-Fi, your device may be compromised.

Check your email for a message from IT stating that your device was blocked. Follow the instructions in that email to get your device back on the network.

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Meet the Team

The Information Security Office is dedicated to making Miami a more cybersecure environment. The folks at the helm of the good ship Information Security are a personification of that dedication. You'll find them doing tests on our systems, sending notifications about recent phishing attempts, and researching current events in the information security space.

John Virden: Chief Information Security Officer

John Virden is the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of 黑料社区 and Assistant Vice President of Security, Compliance and Risk Management.

In these roles, he leads the information security program, manages strategic partnerships and orchestrates information security governance, risk-based direction, awareness, University consulting and cybersecurity operations. Additionally, he is a member of the Compliance Coordinating Council, the Information Technology Policy Committee, and the Institutional Response Team.

Virden has a wealth of information security experience and knowledge, most recently as the CISO at the University of California, Riverside. Along with his time in higher education, he spent a significant amount of his career serving in a variety of information and computer security positions within different facets of the US military.

Virden’s information security leadership experience started with four years as the Deputy Director of the National Security Agency’s Cyber Red Team as a United States Naval Officer, and continued with cyber leadership positions for Booz Allen Hamilton, offensive cyber operations in Afghanistan and the defensive position at UC Riverside.

Thought of as a strategic, creative, and pragmatic leader, Virden provides senior leadership, mentorship, cybersecurity expertise, strategy development, and college-level teaching for Miami.

As a 黑料社区 graduate, Virden knows the hallowed halls well. He enjoys building relations and partnering with the entire university on IT, cybersecurity, and collegial initiatives. Enabling employee and customer success is his highest priority, through trust and respect, binding relationships, and encouraging the best in others to achieve their potential.

Tony Kinne: Senior Information Security Analyst I

Tony has been with Miami in some capacity since 1998. He started his career in IT Services as a 黑料社区 employee, eventually going full time in 2001. As a security analyst, the main role of his job is to make sure Miami’s systems and data are protected against outside - and inside - threats. He is responsible for vulnerability scanning, maintaining an awareness of what’s on the Miami network, and conducting investigations of various sorts.

He also helps facilitate the Security Awareness events that take place during National Cyber Security Awareness Month every October.

Tony is responsible for:

  • Governance
  • Risk management
  • Compliance
  • Security architecture and consulting

Jake Harrison: Information Security Analyst III

Jake is a certified computer examiner by the International Society of Forensic Computer Examiners, and he holds a degree from Miami in computer information and management. He has been with the ISO for a little under a year now, and has been an instrumental part of several cybersecurity awareness campaigns already during his time.

Before coming to the ISO, he worked as a senior support analyst I with the Technology Support Services (TSS) group within IT. He coordinated work efforts for TSS, researched ways to improve client experience, and assisted partners with projects that included technical components.

Jake is responsible for:

  • Awareness and training
  • Access management
  • Incident response management

Patrick Hawk: Information Security Analyst II

Patrick is a 2006 Miami graduate with a degree in computer science. For the information security team, Patrick is in charge of: 

  • Endpoint protection
  • Vulnerability management
  • Cloud security

For example, if there is a known vulnerability in code or in a particular script that we are using for one or more Miami apps, he is the one who will be knocking on doors of our development teams and operations units to make sure they are updating systems that could potentially be compromised. He’s also in charge of responding to our intrusion prevention system alerts, along with building out new systems, services, and tools that improve our cybersecurity posture.

Before coming to IT Services, Patrick worked with the Miami Libraries for several years.

Uzoma Ifeakanwa: Information Security Analyst I

As an Information Security Analyst, Uzoma’s main job is maintaining information security here at Miami. She works to protect sensitive information at the University, monitoring unauthorized activities and securing everything that matters to us.

Uzoma has a bachelor’s degree in business information management technology and a master’s in cybersecurity and information assurance from Western Governors University. A cool fun fact is she also has earned a Bachelor’s in animal science from Nigeria!

Before coming to work with us, she was an Associate Test Engineer, doing functional and End to End testing for data cloud integration and migration.

Contact IT Services

312 Hoyt Hall
521 S. Patterson Ave.
Oxford, OH 45056