October is Cyber Security Awareness Month
Think before you click!
October is Cyber Security Awareness Month
Did you know that ninety percent of the email the University of Manitoba receives is spam? And the number of spam containing malicious attachments is on the rise?
The Anti-Phishing Working Group, a global consortium dedicated to fighting cyber crime, reported that the incidence of global phishing attacks increased by 65 percent from 2015 to 2016.
Phishing victims will likely encounter ransomware, banking trojans, adware or credential theft attempts at the other end of an unfortunate click.
In addition to the increased frequency of phishing attacks, they are also becoming more sophisticated. You may receive an unusual email from someone you know and not immediately realize it is actually a fraud.
Colleges and Universities are particularly at risk for cyber attacks. This is because they rely heavily on Internet usage, from coursework to research to conducting the day to day business of the institution.
During National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the University of Manitoba encourages you to think before you click on links in unsolicited email from unknown senders (and the occasional unusual email from a known sender).
Cyber Security Awareness Month is an annual global campaign that educates people about cyber threats and offers tools and resources to stay safe online.
NEW VIDEO RESOURCES
If a phishing email lures you in, you (and your friends and co-workers) might end up in the deep end.
SECURITY POP QUIZ: TEST YOUR CYBER-SMARTS
Do you think you can tell the difference between a normal email message and a phishing email? Test yourself with the Open DNS Phishing Quiz .
If you are unsure about an email message you received that contains a link or an attachment, contact the IST Service Desk as soon as possible or forward the email to spam [at] umanitoba.ca.
Visit the IST website for more about Information Security and Compliance at the U of M.