VIU Aerial View

SecureIT Logo

Secure I.T. is an initiative to inspire the VIU community to engage with and control their information security at work, at home, and on the road.

Secure I.T. Highlights

💡 Is your light bulb spying on you? 

Cartoon image of a smart TV and watch

Secure your Internet of Things devices!

The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to internet-enabled objects that can exchange information.

Smart watches, fitness trackers, smart appliances, smart plugs, and virtual assistants are all examples of IoT devices.   And like any other internet-connected device, they can also give potential cyber criminals access to our information.

🏡 Make your smart home smarter. Follow these 7 tips for a safer Internet of Things.

🚗 Drive safe online - make sure your connected car is cyber secure.

Take the Get Cyber Safe Checkup - Get Cyber Safe

 Tax season image with a masked criminal, lock, piggy bank and stacked coins with a check mark

🏛️ Stay cyber safe this tax season!

Threats and intimidation to pay your tax bill? How to spot tax season scams.

💸 Keep your money safe, watch out for these other cyber scams this tax season.

 

 👩🏽‍💻 Working from home? Make sure you stay secure in your home office.

Secure I.T. is on X/Twitter - Secure I.T. on Twitter links to the Secure I.T. profile on X (formerly Twitter)

The following sections contain information related to the Secure I.T. initiative:

  • Why Secure I.T.? Find out why information security is everyone's responsibility.
  • Secure I.T. Highlights - Archive - Check out Secure I.T. Highlights from previous months.
  • Secure I.T. Training,  Workshops and Handouts contains specific information about VIU's new information security awareness initiatives.
  • Additional Resources contains links to lots of other useful resources, including recent security threats, so you can ensure all your computer and information technology is secure.
  • Help Secure I.T. if you think there is a computer or information security issue, contact the IT Service Desk 

Every member of the VIU Community has access to sensitive information such as student records, financial data or your own personal data.

Students

Information Security is a core element of good digital citizenship. As a student you benefit from access to many resources provided by the University, including internet access, computer labs, and library resources. It is up to you to use all of these resources responsibly, and to respect the rights of other students to access the same resources. 

Faculty

Information security contributes to a safe learning environment. As an instructor, you handle confidential and sensitive data such as student records, grades, accessibility and disability information, and exams. You also have access to VIU systems like Unit4 HRIS and FIS, email, Wi-Fi, classroom computers and computer labs. Because of that, it is important that you understand how to protect the information and systems that you can access.

Employees

Information Security is a shared responsibility. As a VIU employee, you have a central role in information security. You work with VIU’s data every day, and you have access to sensitive systems like Unit4 HRIS and FIS, email and WiFi. You might have access to very confidential information like student records, hiring information, or even health information. Because of that, it is important that you understand how to protect the information and systems that you can access.

Technical

Secure technology lifecycle starts and ends with an IT Professional. Information Technology professionals play key role in assuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and technology at VIU. Developers are responsible for integrating security into the development lifecycle; system administrators are responsible for maintaining our systems; and, support personnel are responsible for responding to, and remediating incidents as they occur.

Leaders

Anyone can be an Information Security leader.

Secure I.T. Vision

To have a stable, resilient, approachable information security environment that gives the VIU community the freedom to perform their jobs, learn, and undertake research to meet the university's Mission. To inspire the VIU community to engage with and control their information security at work, at home, and on the road.

March is Fraud Prevention Month

Knowledge is power. Get informed and join the fight against fraud.

⚡You have the power to: Recognize fraud, secure your personal information, protect yourself and others from fraud, report scams and cybercrimes.

Image of an orange cat with a ball cap and knapsack using a cell phone in the woods.

Verify before trusting!  🚩 Never reply to unsolicited email or text messages from an unknown source. 

If in doubt about the legitimacy of a message, contact the alleged source using another medium. Most importantly, don’t reply and never click on any links. 

Image of a text scam message that says Urgent: Your package delivery is pending due to unpaid fees.

⏱️ Scammers often create a sense of urgency to make you act fast ⏳

Always take a moment to question messages or calls that push for immediate action. Caution is your greatest shield against fraud. 

Some of their most popular scams include:

💰 Crypto currency investing

❤️ Dating scams

🤳 Social media scams

📝Employment scams

Protect yourself from scams and fraud and #GetCyberSafe by learning more about their methods: What's in a fraudsters toolbox?

Looking for more - check out the Evolution of the Fraud Pitch!

February 2024 Secure I.T. Highlights

💕This Valentine's Day don't give your heart (and data) away to a cyber criminal.💕

You might have heard of ransomware – but do you know why it poses such a serious threat and how you can protect yourself?  Find out what you need to know!

💖If you ever wanted to hire an assistant to manage your sensitive info then a password manager is the next best thing! You can #GetCyberSafe by storing all of your passwords and passphrases so you never have to memorize them again. 

💌Make sure you are keeping yourself safe. Unlike your parents (or any nosy family member), the government would never text, email, or DM you asking for personal info! #GetCyberSafe by making sure you're sharing information safely with any person or establishment by checking out this blog.

💝Have you ever felt the urge to share a ridiculous phishing message with your friends? Consider forwarding them to 7726 instead to help keep your friends, family and co-workers safe online!

🏠While it may be nice to work from home in your comfiest clothes, remember that you still need to stay cyber safe when you aren't in the office.

LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with other professionals. Unfortunately, cyber criminals are anything but professional and will use tactics like phishing to steal your information. Here are three things you can do to #GetCyberSafe on LinkedIn:

January 2024 Secure I.T. Highlights

🎊We hope your 2024 is full of happiness, cyber safety, and online security. Why not start the new year off right with a cyber safe resolution!

🎉 Get Secure

🎆Make your Smart Home even Smarter

🎇 Start Shopping Safely

🧽 Scrub your Social

🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏿 Be a Cyber Safe Ambassador

December 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

No one is safe from cyber threats and, unfortunately, that also includes the jolly red man himself. 🎅

🌟Cyber security is a gift that never goes out of style. Whether you’re giving a gadget, receiving one, or treating yourself these holidays make sure you are staying cyber safe.

⛄Make good memories by video chatting securely with your family and friends.

🎁Some of today’s best presents don’t even come with wrapping paper. Learn how to give and receive digital gifts safely!

🎄Getting a new Smart Device this holiday season? Take charge of the settings!

🎮 Kicking back with some online gaming this holiday season? Learn how to game safely with friends and family.

🛍️Doing some holiday shopping? Here is what we think is cheerful and what we think is coal-worthy this holiday season.

❄️Thinking about a winter getaway, or going somewhere warm this holiday season 😎? Make sure you tick all the right boxes in the  - Get Cyber Safe travel checklist ✅

🎶 Need a new Playlist? How about these highlights from the Get Cyber Safe Holiday album 🎶

📦If you’ve ever felt like you needed a holiday after the holidays, we have one for you: Unboxing Day! Unboxing Day takes place on December 27th and is easy to celebrate. If you received or treated yourself to a new device this holiday, use Unboxing Day to unbox your new gadget and set it up to be cyber secure.

How about a gift to yourself this year? Toss out those old, weak, passwords and try a shiny, new passphrase.  Don't know where to start, why not try the Holiday Passphrase Generator? Make your password/passphrase harder to hack and easier to remember!

November 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

Cyber self-care: Prioritizing digital well-being

In this digital age, our online lives have become just as important as our physical ones, and can be pretty overwhelming. 

So now is the perfect time to practice some much-needed cyber self-care. 🤗

📴 Set boundaries: Designate tech-free times in your day to disconnect. Lock your device with a strong password and use Multi-factor authentication (MFA)/VIU's 2-Step Verification (2SV) to prevent unauthorized access.

🗑️Clean up your digital clutter: An organized inbox or file system helps you find the information you need efficiently and easily.

😊 Practice mindful scrolling: Choose content that uplifts you, and guard your mental energy. And remember, never share sensitive, personal, or financial information online.

📚 Stay in the know: Knowledge is a great defence against online scams.

🔐 Back up your files: Safeguard your files against device failures and ransomware threats.

👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏼 Friends and family can be invaluable allies in your cyber self-care journey: Not sure if that email is legit, don't be afraid to ask for help or talk to others about cyber security.

Looking for a career in cyber? Explore where your skills could take you! 👨‍💻

October is Cyber Month and in 2023 it is all about stepping up our cyber fitness 💪

This Cyber Month, we’re helping you work on your cyber fitness. The Cyber Month campaign helps Canadians stay secure online by teaching them simple steps to protect themselves and their devices.

Just like starting a new fitness routine, finding the motivation to become your best, most cyber safe self can be tough. But with the right coach, you can accomplish even the most daunting tasks. It’s all about stretching your cyber security muscles and taking things one step at a time!

If you’re ready to get motivated and build your cyber safety muscles, visit our Cyber Month 2023 site to learn how. 

September 2023 Secure I.T Highlights

🍂 Fall is in the air! That means pumpkin spiced lattes, cooler temperatures, and cyber criminals! ☕

Staying cyber safe means knowing who to trust online. Even the strongest security systems can be vulnerable when people are tricked into giving away sensitive information like login credentials  or account details.  Don’t take the bait from scammers!

💯 Think you know all the angles, try the NEW Social Engineering quiz!

We heard you got a new device 💻. Make sure you take a few quick steps to keep it cyber safe!

🐟 Are you prepared to fight phishing messages? Take the quiz and find out.

♥️🔒 2-Step Verification (2SV) has been great news for VIU technology and information security, but you still need strong and unique passwords to ensure all your accounts are safe. 

🍁Fall is a great time to make sure your home office is cyber secure!

🔐 Tips for staying safe while working from home - Get Cyber Safe

🔐 Stay Secure While You Work From Home - National Cybersecurity Alliance 

August 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights.

🎣Thinking of doing some fishing this summer?

So are the cyber criminals. Make sure you ruin a cyber criminal's day!

🎵There once was a phish that came to me. It was not a fish of the great blue sea.

From my bank it claimed to be. But it was a phishing message.

Yo-ho, what did it say? “A deposit was made in your account today”

But the sender’s email wasn’t OK. So I ruined that cyber criminal’s day🎵

🌴This summer why not take the Get Cyber Safe Challenge

Cyber security is easiest when it is in byte-sized pieces.

🍬 Use a strong password

🍬 Set up 2-Step Verification/Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

🍬 Update your system(s)

🍬 Secure your home wi-fi

😎 With summer wrapping up, now is a great time to make sure your home office is cyber secure!

🔐 Tips for staying safe while working from home - Get Cyber Safe

🔐 Stay Secure While You Work From Home - National Cybersecurity Alliance 

Myth: Cybercriminals take vacation ✈️🌴⛱️

Of course they don’t, but you might.

Stay cyber safe following some simple practices to keep your vacation plans free from cybercriminal meddling

For some light summer reading 📚, why not learn more about cyber myths and facts.

Traveling with mobile devices can pose risks to you and VIU - what you need to know about device security for travel and work abroad.

July 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

🔓Oh no! You’ve been notified that your sensitive information has been stolen in a data breach!

Don’t give in to breach fatigue – there are important steps you should take now to make sure the damage is mitigated.

😈 Okay, you think you've been hacked, now what?

If you think your social media or personal email account has been hacked, wrestle it away from the bad guys by acting fast.

For your personal accounts look for the signsprotect your accounts and most importantly what to do if you are hacked.

If you think your VIU account has been hacked:

☠️ Just when you thought it was safe to go back online.

Cyber criminals are impersonating government or law enforcement agencies to trick you into believing that a scam is legitimate.

  • The Canadian Revenue Agency has sent me an e-transfer? Scam
  • My SIN was used in a crime and I'm in big trouble? Scam

It is important to spot the signs of these crafty scams and how you can best protect yourself from losing personal information or money.

June 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

June is Pride Month 🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Many 2SLGBTQIA+ people have found solace, solidarity, and community with others online. The internet was built to bring people together, even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes. However, by adopting a few simple behaviors, you can keep yourself secure and protect your privacy.

No matter your sexual orientation or gender expression, you deserve to be online, and you are a valuable addition to our digital citizenry. Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel different!

Additional ResourcesLGBT Tech encourages the continued early adoption and use of cutting-edge, new and emerging technologies by providing information, education and strategic outreach for LGBTQ+ communities.

🥱Tired of spring cleaning? Take a break and give your devices a good SCRUBing

  • Secure your technology! Now that you use 2SV for your work account, perhaps you should secure your personal accounts too?
  • Curate your accounts and devices. Does that app still spark joy? 
  • Review - your Cyber Safe resources. Knowing is half the battle.
  • Update - your software and devices! It’s one of the simplest ways to foil cyber criminals.
  • Block - accounts that send you spam or Phish! Rid yourself, your devices, and your accounts of negativity.April/May 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

The time to enroll in 2-Step Verification is Now!

Do you worry about the security of your personal data in our digital age?
2-Step Verification (2SV) is the #1 tool you can use to help secure your accounts. It is a proven, effective way to improve your security and frustrate cyber criminals.

Need some help enrolling in 2-Step Verification?
We've got you covered.
Check out one of our in-person 2SV drop-in enrolment sessions on the Nanaimo campus running until May 17th.
Cowichan campus! Look for our technicians to be on site May 3rd.

Thinking about requesting a hardware token for 2SV?
While you can easily enroll yourself in 2SV with your cell phone or the MS authenticator app in only a few minutes, hardware tokens take longer for IT to process and distribute to you.
Don't wait until the last minute, get your request in early! 

March 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

🏆The Oscars may be happening in March, but that is no reason to roll out the red carpet for fraud. Fraud losses in Canada reach another historic level. The top three most reported types of fraud this past year were phishingextortion and personal information scams. All designed to get you to pay or give away sensitive information like your Social Insurance Number, passwords or banking details.

Tricks of the Fraud Trade:

Feeling confident?  Give the 2023 Fraud Prevention quiz a try!

February 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

💕This Valentine's Day give yourself the gift of cybersecurity. 💕

Roses are red, violets are blue, and we all know that not everything – or everyone – online is true. 

♫ 'Cause the phishers gonna phish, phish, phish, phish, phish

And the scammers gonna scam, scam, scam, scam, scam

I'm just gonna lock, lock, lock, lock, lock

Lock it down

Lock it down 

January 2023 Secure I.T. Highlights

Make Cyber Security your New Year's resolution.

It is time to start 2023 off right with some fresh, new, security habits.

Your Data is Valuable. No really, it is!

Even if you don’t agree, all your online activity generates a trail of data, data that tells the story of you. Data that many organizations and groups would pay top dollar for, and they don’t have your best interests in mind.

January 22 - 28, 2023 is Data Privacy Week. You can control how you share your data with a few simple steps:

And most importantly - Secure your Accounts - Enroll in VIU's 2-Step Verification!

December 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…for cyber attackers.  Make sure you and your devices have a cyber safe holiday.

Gingerbread laptop and router

  • If you’ve ever felt like you needed a holiday after the holidays, we have one for you: Unboxing Day! Unboxing Day takes place on December 27th and is easy to celebrate. If you received or treated yourself to a new device this holiday, use Unboxing Day to unbox your new gadget and set it up to be cyber secure.

November 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Hallowe'en is barely behind us and already the stores are ready for the holidays. Don’t let the bad guys cash in on poor online shopping security habits. Here are some online shopping security tips to follow:

  • Become a confident online shopper and shop using a secure wi-fi connection, such as your private at-home wi-fi or a friend/family member’s private at-home wi-fi.
    • Do not shop online using unsecure public wi-fi connections (wi-fi connections that are open to everyone and do not require a password, or special login or screening process). Also, consider more secure payment methods, like virtual credit cards, which let you generate a single use number and specify the vendor who can accept payment.
  • You should use a unique and strong password for each of your personal and professional devices, accounts and applications.
    • That way, if one of these devices, accounts, or applications is compromised, your other devices, accounts or applications will be better protected from cyber attackers. A strong password should be complex and use a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Consider using a password manager to store your complex password and never reuse passwords.

Have you got what it takes to be a secure online shopper? Then try the Online Shopping Quiz!

Online shopping from computer to cart

Cyber Month is over, but you can still learn to ruin a cyber criminal's day.

October 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Are you ready to fight Phishing? October is Cyber Security Awareness Month and we at VIU are proud to partner with Get Cyber Safe as champions to help you stay safe online.

Knowing how to spot a phishing message can be difficult if you aren’t sure what signs to look for. After all, cyber criminals are skilled at tricking their victims into giving up sensitive information.

That’s why the best way to fight phishing is to arm yourself with knowledge. Understanding phishing and the signs to look for will help you to protect your personal data from would-be cyber criminals.

So, for Cyber Month '22 - Fight phishing: Ruin a cyber criminal's day!

Each week in October we will be updating content to help you prepare yourself against, or recover from, all types of phishing. Also, keep an eye out during week 3 to learn how to enter the VIU Cyber Month '22 Challenge!

Phish Happens

September 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Fall is in the air! Which means a spike in generic and targeted phishing aimed at the education sector. VIU is no exception as we are seeing a significant increase in attempts. Cyber criminals are working overtime, so please be extra cautious with emails asking for your information. 

Email Safety Tips

Look for the VIU ‘external email’ banner. It means you should exercise extra caution before clicking on any links.

Don’t buy into the urgency. If the sender is in a desperate rush for whatever they are asking you to do, that’s a good sign they don’t want you to have time to think.

Double check the email address. Scammers often try to make it look like it’s from VIU, or a reputable organization, even when it isn’t. For example, person-viu@gmail.com.

Confirm the sender and the request through other methods of communication. Scammers will say no to phone calls, Teams calls, video calls, or in-person conversations. 

Don’t buy gift cards. VIU employees will NOT ask you to purchase gift cards over email.

When in doubt, play it safe. Think twice before sharing personal information or credit card details, giving financial information, changing your password, etc.

I received a scam email! What should I do?  

  1. Forward the email as an attachment to the IT Service Desk with a note that it is a suspicious email.
  2. If you replied to the e-mail and...
    1. Didn’t do anything else. Great! No further action is required.
    2. Provided your username/password. Go and change your password right away!
    3. Downloaded or installed something on your computer. Turn that computer off immediately and call the IT Service Desk at 250-740-6300.
    4. Purchased something for the attacker with your P-Card? Contact VIU Procurement Services as soon as possible!  
    5. Purchased something on a personal credit card/Cash/Debit/Bitcoin? Follow the guide at the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre for your next steps. 

Please direct any questions to the VIU IT Service desk. You can contact us by phone (250-740-6300) or email (ithelp@viu.ca).

August 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Sunshine, surfing, and social, oh, my! With summer vacation and staycation plans, you might feel tempted to share the latest and greatest events on social media. But social media communication is not done without risk.

Connect and practice safe social this summer with these social media security tips:

Ready to show off your social media chops, try the August Summer Social Media Security Quiz!

More resources for protecting you and your social media.

July 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

As George Gershwin said - It's summertime and the livin' is easy. It also means many of us will be traveling. Whether that’s a road trip or flying, it’s important to stay secure while you roam away from home.

Be a smart packer:

Be a savvy traveller:

  • Be mindful of your surroundings when using your devices in a public space – watch out for shoulder surfers and eavesdroppers.
  • Don’t use public USB charging stations with a provided charging dock or cable, these may be unsafe. Always use your own charger cable and power adaptor.
  • Keep your devices with you at all times – in a secured pocket, purse, or backpack. Use secure facilities (i.e., a car trunk, or hotel safe (not a room safe)) to store them if you can’t carry them with you.
  • Stay protected while connected - Stop auto-connecting, and make sure to use secure wi-fi connections (especially for sites and applications that require credentials).
  • Play hard to get - Don't make it easy for the bad guys by posting too much on social media. This lets thieves know your location and that you are out of town.

Give the July Travel Security Quiz a try to see if you are ready for the holidays.

More resources for safe and secure travels:

June 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

PHISH HAPPENS. Don’t take the Bait!

Phishing attacks are one of the most common online scams around. Taking the bait can lead to loss of funds (both personal and VIU), and breaches of personal, health, or financial information. And if that wasn't bad enough, phishing is now one of the primary entry points for ransomware.

  • Don’t get reeled in, get cyber safe.
    • Be vigilant about staying cyber secure.
    • Be aware that phishing has various forms, including:
      • spear phishing (phishing that targets specific individuals or groups),
      • vishing (voice phishing conducted over the phone), and
      • smishing (phishing that occurs via text or instant messaging).
  • Watch for phishing red flags like:
    • Urgent or threatening language
    • Unexpected delivery notices or receipts
    • Strange links or attachments
  • Keep a weather eye on phishing bait that:
    • Tries to scare you or put you in a panic with threats:
      • “Your most recent payment was REJECTED.” or “We will pursue LEGAL ACTION if you do not respond.”
    • Promises money or a reward – too good to be true:
      • “Special LIMITED-TIME Offer!” or “YOU have won a FREE VACATION!” 
    • Appeals to your kindness:
      • “Hey, I’m stuck in Mexico and I’ve lost my passport and wallet.” or “Please help this holiday season.”
    • Asks you to verify or update your information, then pretend to be a trusted organization:
      • “Please update you Microsoft account information.” or “Please take a second to verify your Paypal account.”
    • Appeals to your curiosity by trying to trick you, like leaving an USB in a parking lot that infects your computer once you plug it in.

Don’t take the Bait!

Ready to test your skills - try the June Phishing Quiz!

May 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Be a cyber security superhero!

It’s May and the movie theatre isn’t the only place to see superheroes in action. Become a Cyber Security Superhero and stop the villains with these tips:

Ready for a bigger challenge - try the NEW Cyber Security Superhero quiz!

April 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

(With thanks to Lord Tennyson)

In the spring a young person's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of…SPRING CLEANING.

There’s junk all over your home… You’re staring at a bunch of things you’re not sure you’ll ever use again...and that’s just on your smartphone! It’s time to shake off the late winter blues and reinvigorate your tech. That's right, spring is the perfect time to:

Looking for more, give the NEW Spring Cleaning quiz a try.

March is Fraud Prevention Month

Fraud - the more it changes, the more it stays the same.

Phishing, the Gift Card Scam, spoofing an email address, a text pretending to be your boss - call it what you will but this type of scam cost Canadians $54 Million last year.  The good news is that the majority of frauds can be prevented by identifying the methods used by fraudsters.

How can I protect against Fraud?

  • STOP, THINK, then ACT.
  • Be Politely Paranoid
    • If you didn't initiate contact, you don't know who you're communicating with
    • Don’t be afraid to ask for credentials or confirm claims BEFORE you agree to anything
  • Watch for email warning signs, like
    • Urgent or threatening language
    • Unexpected delivery notices or receipts
    • Strange links or attachments

Real examples of fake emails

Try out the NEW Fraud Prevention quiz!

The war in Ukraine is also being waged online, phishing from Russia jumped 8-fold on Feb 27th.  
Protect yourself from this new wave of phishing attacks.

February 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Fall in Love with Cyber Security! 

 red heartLove is in the air this February! Show your friends and family you care by falling in love with cyber security and adopting these practices:

February 8th is Safer Internet Day
Making the Internet safe for everybody takes everybody.

February 14th is National Clean Out Your Computer Day
Take some time out of your day to do some basic housekeeping on your computer.

January 2022 Secure I.T. Highlights

Simple Cyber Security Resolutions for 2022

As we move into a new year, it is important to make sure that your cyber security knowledge is sharp and up to date. Please take a moment to look at the following to ensure that you have a cyber secure 2022.

January 28th is Data Privacy Day - Manage your online privacy by taking a few small actions.

December 2021 Secure I.T. Highlights

You are your first line of defense to keep your data safe at work and at home. Before entering any personal information, or clicking on a link, be confident it is from a legitimate source. Take a moment to look at these tips and tricks:

Past Cyber Security Awareness Month Highlights

Check out the fun activities planned for this year's Cyber Security Awareness Month!

Take the opportunity to revisit the links from previous Cyber Security Awareness Months.

Did you know that there's a VIULearn course that has been setup for Secure I.T. Training? Take the Secure I.T. Security Awareness and Training that's available on VIULearn using your VIU Employee Account Credentials. 

Why take the training:

#1 You’ll learn how to protect yourself and your family.

Also...

  • Information security contributes to a safe learning environment.
  • Information security is a core element of good digital citizenship.
  • Information security is a shared responsibility.

There are four Courses.

  • Secure I.T. 100 – Information Security Essentials for VIU *NEW*
  • Secure I.T. 101 – Security Awareness Foundations
  • Secure I.T. 102 – Security Awareness  for Flexible Work
  • Secure I.T. 201 – Advanced Security Awareness

When you successfully complete all four courses you will be a Cyber Security Superstar!

GOALS of the training:

  • To inspire you to engage with and control your information security at work, at home, and on the road.
  • To show that anyone can be an information security leader.

Secure I.T. is now on Twitter - Secure I.T. on Twitter

Check out the BC Government's Information Security Awareness site for all sorts of information, videos, updates, and the occasional contest.

Get Cyber Safe is a national public awareness campaign created to inform Canadians about cyber security and the simple steps they can take to protect themselves online.

Do you have Media Smarts? Canada's Centre for Digital and Media Literacy offers many resources including free digital skills workshops to help people learn more about using technology in their everyday lives.

So - You want to be a Cyberhero? With access to the Terranova Cyber Security Hub, you’ll have access to a variety of valuable content, including important kits on Ransomware, Phishing, infographics for parents and seniors and even a detailed breakdown of COVID-19 related threats.

Have one of your account passwords been exposed in a breach? Check out Have I Been Pwned? Is the new password you selected as secure as you think? Check Pnwed Passwords.

Answer a few simple questions to get personalized online safety recommendations from the  CR Security Planner
It's confidential - no personal information is stored and they don't access any of your online accounts.

The Canadian Banking Association (CBA) has great resources on Cyber Security and how to protect yourself from Fraud. For more information, check out CBA's Cyber Security Toolkit.

Upcoming Security Events