Universities Take Cyber and Physical Safety Steps This September
UC Davis is addressing digital threats while Emory advances access control, police staffing and emergency preparedness.
- By Danielle Naidu
- September 16, 2026
As students return for the new academic year, universities are implementing and reinforcing measures intended to address both digital and physical campus risks. September initiatives at the University of California, Davis and Emory University range from responding to phishing and payroll fraud to strengthening building security and behavioral threat assessment.
UC Davis issued a campus-wide warning after identifying an increase in phishing attempts designed to take over university accounts and redirect payroll deposits. Because some messages may originate from real but compromised UC Davis accounts, the university urged employees to verify direct-deposit information through the official UCPath site and deny unexpected Duo multifactor authentication requests.
The university also established reporting and escalation routes for suspected compromises. Separate cybersecurity teams receive reports from the main campus and UC Davis Health, while affected users can contact IT Express or the UC Davis Health Technology Operations Center for assistance.
Emory's September preparedness campaign builds on physical-security measures implemented during the past year. Those steps include building access controls, expanded Emory Police Department staffing, safety infrastructure improvements, additional emergency training and stronger behavioral threat assessment capabilities. The university is also reinforcing its emergency notification program and promoting awareness of blue light phones, automated external defibrillators, bleeding control kits and evacuation routes.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Security Today, Campus Security Today, Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.