Here is a quick list of reminders to help keep you and your electronic information cybersecure:

1. Protect your password(s) Passwords are an important part of our digital lives and with online learning, your credentials are now more important than ever. Have you ever considered the implications of what would happen if your password was stolen? Learn how to protect your passwords.

2. Protect your devices Keep your operating system and software up to date. Weaknesses in systems and software that are not up to date are vulnerable. Always use malware protection (antivirus) and consider “next gen” products, as they offer more advanced security and take advantage of machine learning to protect you. Many are free or very inexpensive.

3. Back up your data Computer hard drives can crash, computers and smartphones can be lost or stolen, soup can be spilled on laptops, and software viruses or malware can delete your files. Be sure to back-up your data on a regular basis. Be sure to test the backups every few months to check that you can recover your data.

4. Protect your personal information There are a number of ways you can protect your personal information and others. View this quick guide to learn more.

5. Don’t get phished: recognizing phishing and spear-phishing dangers People who want to steal your information can be clever. Learn how to protect yourself against phishing and spear-phishing messages. Received a suspicious email or link? Don't open the message or click the link. For your personal email, learn how to report a Phish and then delete it. For UBC email, forward the message to security@ubc.ca.

6. Secure your WhatsApp conversations Enable the WhatsApp security PIN feature within the WhatsApp application. You can set up a PIN of your own choosing, and even an email address to use if you forget that PIN. This is separate from the six-digit code that WhatsApp sends by SMS when verifying a new installation. This added security layer deter would-be hackers from attempting to access your account.

           
           
           
               

Go even further...

For a much more in-depth look at privacy and information security, review the following:

Information Security Standard #3: Transmission and Sharing of UBC Electronic Information
Policy SC14, Acceptable Use and Security of UBC Electronic Information and Systems [PDF]