Phish testing and tutorials via the new CyberAware platform will launch the week of January 30.
As part of our regular work on cyber security, Niagara College will begin another round of phishing simulations the week of January 30 via CyberAware, a new-to-NC online cyber security platform.
The platform facilitates simulated phishing attacks and offers video tutorials to educate the NC community to be more cyber safe. Employees and students will receive a welcome email from the platform with instructions to log-in with their NC credentials. The short tutorials will take no more than five to 10 minutes to complete and are also available via the myNC Portal (click ‘CyberAware Security Awareness Training’) or visit niagaracollege.cyberaware.d-zone.ca/.
What is phishing?
Phishing attempts – which are designed by threat actors (fraudsters) to trick us into disclosing sensitive information – are becoming increasingly sophisticated and more difficult to distinguish from legitimate emails. The data shows that cyber security training is effective at reducing these incidents so that we can all confidently identify, report, and delete suspicious emails when we receive them.
I’ve completed training previously. Do I need to do it again?
All employees are strongly encouraged to access the CyberAware tutorials, regardless of whether they have completed training in the past so to stay up-to-date on the latest phishing scams. Employees who succumb to a phishing test will be required to take the training.
What will the simulated phishing campaign look like?
Phishing simulations are like fire drills, since they provide valuable practical experience. ITS will simulate the very email attacks the fraudsters are using today by periodically sending simulated emails. Rest assured, these simulated emails will not harm you in any way, rather, they are designed to help you learn how to identify scams and protect yourself at work and at home.
What if I fall for a phishing simulation?
ITS will notify you immediately via email should you fall victim to a phishing simulation, and will follow-up with a short, focused tutorial video via the CyberAware platform. This tutorial is simply designed to help you learn. Results remain anonymous and confidential so long as you take the mandatory, remedial tutorial within two weeks. Supervisors will only receive access to the names of employees who do not complete the tutorial during the required period.
Employees will receive phishing emails even if they do not log in to the CyberAware platform.
ITS will use the aggregated numbers for reports to the Board, Executive Team and the College community at large to gauge our collective cyber awareness and to determine if more focus is needed to address an area of vulnerability.
New Phishing button in Outlook
In late December, ITS introduced a new “Report a Phish” button in Microsoft Outlook on Windows, web and mobile (Android and Apple). The button allows employees and students alike to easily report any suspicious email messages to ITS Security. For more information, you can check the ITS website at the following location its.niagaracollege.ca/phishingbutton/.
