Security Matters

In recent years, headlines about information security incidents have become increasingly common both nationally and internationally. Cyber criminals steal passwords, personal information and other sensitive data through various types of cyber attacks. Staying up to date with cyber security news and knowing how to stay safe online will help protect your personal information. Take a ...

The University of Toronto (U of T) community has reported an increase in Zoom bombing instances, where unwanted intruders take over and disrupt video-conference calls. We encourage all staff, faculty and students to adjust their settings and take precautions to avoid these situations. Here are some best practices you can incorporate when organizing and attending ...

To celebrate Data Privacy Day on Jan. 28, Information Technology Services (ITS) hosted a virtual panel event: Impact of evolving technology and privacy laws in higher education. The one-hour event opened a conversation about data privacy and protection and answered privacy questions from the University of Toronto (U of T) community. Over 145 attendees including ...

While email is one of the most efficient and prevalent forms of communication today, it brings with it the risk of privacy breaches when sharing sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII) or personal health records. In a recent blog post, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) talks about how misdirected emails ...

Job offer scams are a form of phishing used to take advantage of students and new graduates who are seeking employment. Job offer scams typically work like this—you receive an unsolicited email that invites you to apply for or start a job with a high-paying salary. In most cases, the hacker asks for various forms ...

Data Privacy Day is an annual reminder to make safeguarding our personal information a priority. At the University of Toronto, data privacy is both a University matter and a personal matter. This means that we can all work together to build, practice and promote safe data privacy practices. Review this infographic to learn how you ...

Phishing emails are designed to trick recipients into taking an action, such as clicking a malicious link or opening a malicious attachment. Hackers may also use tactics like smishing, which attempt to trick the recipients through text messages or SMS. This week, members of the University of Toronto (U of T) community received an email ...

Data breaches and ransomware have become massive risks costing large losses to both individuals and organizations around the world. IBM reported that 2021 saw the highest average cost of a data breach in the last 17 years, with the cost rising from $3.86 million to $4.24 million USD on an annual basis. As we prepare ...

Data Privacy Day, celebrated on Jan. 28 each year, is an international campaign that empowers individuals and institutions to respect privacy and safeguard information. On Jan. 28, University of Toronto’s (U of T) Information Technology Services (ITS) division is hosting a virtual panel event: Impact of evolving technology and privacy laws in higher education. In ...

As remote work and online classes are increasingly becoming a gateway for advanced cybercrimes, it is important that members of the University of Toronto (U of T) community stay aware of how to spot and report phishing attacks. This week, members of the U of T community including employees, faculty and students received a voicemail-to-email ...