As a university student in Birmingham, you’ve probably seen or experienced firsthand how quickly cyber threats can escalate. But the good news? There are practical, easy steps you can take to protect yourself.
Here are our top tips to help you stay cyber-safe while smashing your degree.
1. Strengthen Your Password Game
Your password is your first line of defence. Make it count.
- Use a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- Avoid reusing passwords across accounts—if one gets hacked, they all could be at risk.
- Change your passwords regularly and consider using a Password Manager to organise them all.
2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication adds an extra step when logging in, usually a code sent to your phone or an app.
- Even if someone gets your password, they won’t be able to log in without that second code.
- Just make sure your recovery options (like your phone number) are up to date, or you might get locked out yourself.
3. Watch Out for Phishing Scams
Phishing is when someone tries to trick you into giving away personal information through fake messages or websites.
- Think before you click. Does the email or message seem a bit off? Is the link weird? Double-check before clicking.
- Scammers sometimes pretend to be your friends. If you get a strange message, text or call them separately to confirm.
4. Be Cautious on Public Wi-Fi
That free Wi-Fi at the coffee shop? It may seem convenient, but it can also be risky.
- Hackers can set up fake Wi-Fi hotspots to intercept your data.
- Disable auto-connect on your devices and avoid logging into important accounts on public networks.
- Better yet, use a VPN or your mobile data for anything sensitive.
5. Lock Down Your Privacy Settings
Think twice about what you share on socials, especially if your account is public.
- Limit who can see your personal info, this can range from your uni, home or current location, or even contact details unless it’s a business profile you are setting up.
- Stories and posts might disappear, but screenshots live forever.
- Keep your privacy settings updated, and check what others can see about you.
6. Stay Alert to Social Engineering
Social engineering is when someone manipulates you into giving up information by pretending to be someone they’re not.
- This could be a fake call from “your bank” or an email claiming to be from IT support.
- Don’t give out personal info unless you’re 100% sure who you’re speaking to.
- If something feels off, hang up, log out, and verify using official contact details.
Being a student in Birmingham is exciting and full of opportunities, but it also means managing your digital footprint wisely. Cybercrime can affect anyone, regardless of how tech-savvy you are. The best protection? Stay informed, stay alert, and take small steps consistently. They make a big difference.
So, whether you're studying in the library, scrolling through TikTok, or online shopping after lectures, keep these tips in mind and surf smart.
Choose the Right Accommodation with Unihousing
Reliable, stress-free accommodation plays a big role in easing the challenges of university life. Unihousing is a student accommodation provider near the University of Birmingham, operating since 1984. All of our accommodation in Selly Oak is owned by us, so we can respond quickly to any requests using our qualified team of tradesmen. Our property office is located on Bristol Road, only a short walk away from all of our accommodation. This means we can deal directly with our tenants.
Unihousing was selected as the Number 1 Student Letting Agent in Birmingham by the UK's biggest fresher community, Unifresher.
