Information Update: Cyber Month Week 3: Protect your information

Welcome to Week 3 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month at Fleming College! This week, we are focusing on Protecting Your Information.

Simple habits keep your personal data and financial information secure whether you are banking, shopping, filing taxes, or using public networks.

Safe Online Banking and Financial Security

Financial scams rely on phishing (email), vishing (voice calls), and smishing (text messages) to trick you into revealing sensitive account details or financial credentials.

✅ Learn how Canadian financial institutions are helping customers bank on cyber security and spot digital fraud.

✅ Review key tips on how to stay cyber secure when managing sensitive transactions or filing taxes online.

✅ Learn to identify the 7 Red Flags of Phishing to help you identify suspicious emails, texts, and phone calls. 

✅ Learn how you can stay cyber secure when downloading and using apps.

Smart & Confident Online Shopping

Online retail scams often use counterfeit websites, fake ads, or insecure checkout systems to steal payment information. Read Get Cyber Safe’s guides to avoid online shopping scams and shop online with confidence.

✅  How to avoid becoming the victim of an online shopping scam
✅  How to spot an unsafe online store
✅  How to protect your data in an online store

✅ Watch: Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft

Always verify that a website uses secure encryption; the URL/web address should start with https://, before entering credit card details or personal addresses.

Device Security

We get it — there’s nothing more annoying than stopping what you’re doing for a software update.  But trust us, it has its benefits. Staying updated is one of the easiest ways to protect your devices if you remember the most important rule:  TURN AUTOMATIC UPDATES ON! Antivirus software is still one of the best ways to secure yourself against cyber threats.
✅ Keep your software up to date.
✅ Learn how to: Secure your smart devices.

✅ Choose antivirus software that works for you.

✅ Enable the local firewall for Windows or macOS.

Public Wi-Fi Risks

Unsecured public Wi-Fi networks allow local network traffic snooping. Taking basic steps to secure your connection protects your personal data from interception.

✅ Only Use Trusted Networks: Avoid logging into sensitive banking or college accounts on public or untrusted Wi-Fi services. Use your phone’s personal hotspot or a personal Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection instead.

✅ Use Fleming’s virtual private network (VPN) to secure your connection to Fleming College resources!

✅ Maintain Antivirus Protection: Ensure your personal devices run active antivirus/antimalware software and keep it up to date.

Get Involved & Win

Prize Alert 🎁 Take a screenshot showing you have antivirus software installed on your device. Email it to cyber-month@flemingcollege.ca for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.

Prize Alert 🎁 Take a screenshot showing you have automatic OS updates enabled on your device. Email it to cyber-month@flemingcollege.ca for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

Did You Know?

✅  Public Wi-Fi Safeguards: If you must use public Wi-Fi, verify the exact network name with staff at the location to avoid connecting to fraudulent “rogue” hotspots set up by attackers.

✅  Reporting Financial Scams: If you suspect your financial accounts have been compromised, contact your financial institution immediately using the phone number listed on the back of your card.

✅ Microsoft Defender Antivirus comes free with Windows 10 & 11, and there is also a paid subscription version available for Mac, iOS and Android devices.