Carleton University has launched a Simulated Phishing Initiative in which the community will begin receiving safe and simulated phishing emails to help faculty, staff and students better recognize what a real phishing email might look like
These emails are automatically generated by our systems and are modelled after real-life emails that have arrived in Carleton inboxes in the past.
Personal and University Data Are Not Compromised By This Campaign
This is simply a training and awareness initiative.
Personal and university information is not compromised when a user clicks on a link in our simulated phishing emails.
But real phishing emails can compromise such data, so it’s important the Carleton community knows how to spot and avoid phishing attempts.
The Community is Not Being Evaluated
This initiative is for informational and education purposes only, and those who click on simulated phishing links are only encouraged to learn more about how to stay safe online.
If you click on a link in a simulated phishing email no action is required on your part, but you will be encouraged to enrol in our Security Awareness Course. Keep reading to learn more.
Learn to Stay Safe with Our Security Awareness Course
The Carleton community is encouraged to learn more about phishing and cybersecurity by signing up for our Security Awareness Course through Brightspace.
The course is divided into a series of modules that are short, digestible and, most importantly, informative. Topics include:
| Phishing | Ransomware |
| Wi-Fi Security | Social Engineering |
| Risky USB devices | And much more! |
About Phishing
Phishing is a cyber crime that uses tactics like deceptive emails, websites, and text messages to steal confidential information from individuals or organizations. Cyber criminals use stolen information like addresses, names, and social insurance numbers to apply for credit cards or loans, open bank accounts, and commit other fraudulent activity.
Cyber criminals regularly target Carleton staff, faculty and students through phishing emails in an attempt to gain access to both university systems and the personal information of individuals themselves. ITS employs a number of security tools to filter out the vast majority of phishing emails, but the ever changing nature of the problem means that some phishing attempts still land in Carleton inboxes. Learning how to spot and report these emails is a crucial part of cyber safety for the university and community members alike.
Interested in learning more? Read about how to use our Report Phishing button.
Watch the ITS web site for information about new campaigns, tips and tricks as they become available.
If you have any questions, please contact ITS Security.