Every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month shines a spotlight on cyber defense strategies – but these practices matter every single day. Cyber criminals use social engineering, AI-powered scams, and ransomware to compromise our sensitive data and critical systems — and as a user of digital systems at NYCHA, you are one of our most powerful security… MORE
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On March 5, the New York City Cyber Academy celebrated the newest graduates of a specialized training program designed to bolster the city’s cybersecurity workforce and improve efforts to defend agencies against web-based threats to critical services and infrastructure. City officials, including Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew Fraser and Chief Information Security Officer Kelly Moan,… MORE
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Dear NYCHA Colleagues, We’re updating how we manage work apps on NYCHA-provided phones and tablets. This change will help keep our work tools secure and easy to use. That means we’re switching to Microsoft Intune, a new system that manages employees’ mobile devices. Employees with Samsung S10 or older models will receive new phones as… MORE
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This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we will focus on three simple actions – STOP, LOOK, and THINK – to stay vigilant and secure. According to the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation’s Cyber Command, 38 percent of City employees regularly demonstrate risky behavior during their regularly held phishing simulations. To reduce these risks, please follow these… MORE
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Enhancing Accessibility and Efficiency In every NYCHA property management office across the city sits a tool that helps residents interact with essential Authority services: Self-Service Kiosks. To make it even easier for residents to access NYCHA’s online services, the kiosks were upgraded with additional features. From paying rent and submitting work orders to completing annual… MORE
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Dear Colleagues, We are living in a fast-paced world filled with frequent surprises and challenges. Yet, NYCHA staff always rise to the occasion, whether it’s by overcoming the storm of the century or a global pandemic. Today’s trial was an IT outage that affected vital infrastructure across the world, including many of NYCHA’s critical systems.… MORE
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NYCHA’s Information Technology team was well represented at the most recent iteration of the Digital New York City Technology Forum (or as participants call it, “GovTech”), held at the New York Marriott Hotel at the Brooklyn Bridge this past November. GovTech is an annual conference which brings together tech-focused public-sector professionals and leading industry partners… MORE
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Cybersecurity Awareness Month Turns 20! This October marks the 20th year of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The campaign is a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure web users have the resources they need to stay safe and secure online. According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Cybersecurity Alliance, some key… MORE
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As you may know, NYCHA’s Information Technology department is currently upgrading many of our technology systems to offer improved services and a more user-friendly experience to both staff and residents.
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Management offices across the five boroughs will soon experience a reduction in the amount of time they have to wait for their information technology (IT)-related challenges to be resolved, thanks to a new “Neighborhood IT” initiative launched in March. Led by Kim Maxwell (formerly senior driver of NYCHA’s Digital Van), technicians from the new… MORE
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See Yourself in Cyber This year’s campaign theme – “See Yourself in Cyber” – demonstrates that while cybersecurity may seem like a complex subject, ultimately, it’s really about people. No matter what role you play – as an individual or consumer – take basic steps to protect your online information and privacy. You can do your part by reporting… MORE
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NYCHA’s Information Technology (IT) Department recently published its Strategic Direction 2022-2024. This document, available on Connect, outlines how IT is supporting NYCHA’s business strategies and objectives – now and in the years to come.
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On March 26, three Manhattan NYCHA developments – Riis, Wald, and Baruch Houses – celebrated the launch of free internet service for residents provided by Flume Internet. The initiative is part of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible households with a discount on broadband service and connected devices. ACP seeks to ensure that… MORE
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NYCHA’s Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer Patti Bayross recently participated in City & State’s 2022 Digital New York Summit, which brought together technology and information leaders for thought-provoking conversations about their work. Ms. Bayross was part of a panel titled “Using Technology to Impact our Communities,” which provided her the opportunity to present… MORE
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On September 3, NYCHA celebrated one of the first major expansions of free and low-cost internet service options outlined under the City’s Internet Master Plan for Universal Broadband, with a back-to-school giveaway and ribbon-cutting event at NYCHA’s Atlantic Terminal Houses in Brooklyn. Released in January 2020, the Internet Master Plan for Universal Broadband was rapidly… MORE
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On September 1, NYCHA launched a free Wi-Fi program in the common areas of Polo Grounds Towers in Harlem. Through this new pilot program, NYCHA provides free Wi-Fi access to residents in the courtyards, parks, and other outside areas of the development. The Wi-Fi service is also available in the resident association and property management… MORE
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Stay Cyber Safe The FBI issued a warning about phishing campaigns that use government checks as lures. Look out for phishing emails that ask you to verify your personal information in order to receive a check from the government. Government agencies will not send emails asking for your private information in order to send you money. The FBI… MORE
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NYCHA’s cyber awareness training program now includes monthly video training and fake phishing attacks from the NYC Cyber Command (NYC3). Monthly video training Beginning June 17, 2019, the NYC Cyber Command will email you a secure link every month, giving you access to your secure library of training videos. To complete your assignment and earn… MORE
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As part of the NextGen Office initiative, NYCHA’s IT Department continues to improve the technology available at development offices to help staff work more efficiently. Below are some programs that will launch this year; each involves virtual training, help desk support, and, in some cases, on-site training. NextGen Smart Screens: A 55-inch, interactive touch screen… MORE
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NYCHA is joining with the Department of Homeland Security to raise cybersecurity awareness for the 15th annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Cybersecurity is our shared responsibility and we all must work together to improve our nation’s cybersecurity.” Be on the lookout for NYCHA’s new Cyber Awareness Training program, courtesy of the… MORE
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In January, NYCHA rolled out a new cyber awareness training program. As part of the program, network users received suspicious email messages known as fake phish and then training assignments from the NYCHA Cyber Awareness Team. The Cyber Awareness Team is led by Information, Security, and Risk’s Chief IT Auditor, Jeffery Benson, and composed of… MORE
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Early this month, a NYCHA employee received a suspicious email and contacted the NYCHA Information Security Hotline at (212) 306-8006. Here’s why the email looked suspicious: The email looked like it came from Dropbox, but there were some unusual markings on the letters ‘r’ and ‘x.’ The employee did not recognize the sender: jandrews@andrewsconverting.com The… MORE
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As National Cyber Security Awareness Month comes to a close, here are the final tips of the week, as well as information about a valuable scholarship opportunity for current college students: Tips of the Week: Share with Care & Keep a Clean Machine Share with care. Think before posting about yourself and others online. Once… MORE
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How much do your “smart” devices know about you? These days our cars, fitness trackers, refrigerators, thermostats, and coffee makers can be connected to the internet and controlled through mobile apps. While “smart” technologies make our lives easier, they present new security risks. Limited privacy controls on internet-connected devices and apps may leave sensitive personal… MORE
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National Cyber Security Awareness Month is an annual campaign by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to raise awareness about the importance of cyber security. NYCHA will be sharing information to raise awareness about the importance of cyber security, for staying safe online, and for increasing our resiliency in the event of a cyber incident.
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In today’s digital world, IT professionals aren’t the only ones responsible for protecting a company from cyber criminals. Everyone in an organization shares a responsibility to be vigilant about online threats. To help keep NYCHA safe and secure: Beware of phishing emails. Do not open emails, links, or attachments from strangers. Phishing attacks use email… MORE
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One small step can make a big difference in your online security. Each week during National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we’re sharing a quick and easy tip that you can try today to better protect yourself online. Tip of the Week: Lock down your login. Usernames and passwords are often not enough to protect important… MORE
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Over the next year, NYCHA’s IT Department will roll out a state-of-the-art security awareness training program proven to reduce phishing attacks and malware infections by up to 90 percent. Through quizzes, mock phishing attacks, and interactive training, employees will learn how to better handle this growing menace to help keep NYCHA, and themselves, more secure.… MORE
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We all share the responsibility for safeguarding NYCHA from phishing and other cyber-attacks. Do you know what to do to prevent a malicious attack from infecting your computer and other devices? Test your readiness to handle a phishing or ransomware emergency by taking a quiz via the launch button below. If you are suspicious about… MORE
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Watch out for telephone scams—don’t be a victim of a VISHING attack. A vishing (“voice phishing”) scam is when an attacker contacts you by phone pretending to be from a trusted organization, such as the IT support department or your bank. The caller might say that they need access to your computer in order to… MORE
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1. It’s okay to share passwords with: a. Your boss b. Human Resources c. Your coworker d. None of the above 2. Confidential business information should not be placed in email, instant messaging (IM), or text messages, because they may not be secure. a. True b. False 3. Which of the following is a strong… MORE
Read MoreSome NYCHA employees handle documents or files that contain personally identifiable information (PII) about applicants, residents, Section 8 participants, and other customers. If this information is lost, compromised, or disclosed without the individual’s permission, it could be used to substantially harm their reputations, violate their privacy, and put their assets at risk. Federal law requires… MORE
Read MoreMany employees have questions about how the use of collaborative tools at work affects security concerns. Here are some answers. Q: Why can’t I use Google Drive, Box.com and other public collaborative tools to store and share NYCHA documents? A: NYCHA is a recipient of federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban… MORE
Read MoreWhat is “whaling?” Whaling is a clever type of phishing scam that typically involves a hacker pretending to be a senior executive. The perpetrators will usually ask the intended victim to take some action, such as moving money, making a payment, or transferring documents containing personally identifiable information. Whaling attacks are a form of corrupt… MORE
Read MoreHere are some reminders for how to protect your credit cards and information as you prepare for the holiday shopping season. • Carry only the credit cards you need. • Keep a record of your account numbers, expiration dates, and the telephone numbers of each card issuer in a safe place so you can report… MORE
Read MoreA strong password is one of the key digital defenses anyone can use and should be at least 12 characters long. Administrative or elevated access may require a longer password. Your password should be one that you do not have to write down to remember. An easy-to-remember password is a simple sentence. Most sentences are… MORE
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