It’s tax season! Cybercriminals often use this time to send emails or text messages that appear to come from employers, payroll teams, or the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). These messages are designed to trick you into sharing personal information or clicking unsafe links. Red flags to watch out for Emails that claim to provide your […]
Archive | Cybersecurity
Malware in disguise: free PDF tools
PDF tools are everywhere online. Need to convert something to PDF, merge files, or split one? A quick search brings up dozens of websites promising free and instant results. But cybercriminals are increasingly using unsafe PDF websites and software to distribute malware, or to collect your sensitive information. Why free PDF tools are risky Malware: […]
Getting a new device? Don’t get locked out: update your MFA
The holiday season is upon us, and many of you might receive new device. Whether it’s a new smartphone, tablet, or laptop, it’s essential to make sure your MFA methods are up to date, and to secure your new device so it’s ready to use. Step 1: Ensure your MFA methods are up to date […]
ClickFix attacks: fake problems, fake fixes, real compromise
Cybercriminals love one thing above all else: getting you to click a button that gives them access to your account or device. A ClickFix attack is a modern version of social engineering that exploits your instinct to fix problems quickly. It starts by tricking you into clicking a button that’s framed as a “verify, “fix,” […]
Protect Your Devices with CIRA Canadian Shield
As we wrap up Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’re highlighting a free tool to help keep your personal devices safe: CIRA Canadian Shield. Developed by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, Canadian Shield is a free DNS security service that blocks access to malicious websites, phishing scams, and other online threats—before they can do harm. It’s privacy-focused […]
Free piano? Or just trouble?
You’ve probably seen it before: an email or posted ad claiming to have a valuable item to give away. The story sounds reasonable or even sympathetic: the sender is moving, or downsizing their late parents’ estate, or just needs the item gone. The most common item we see in these scams is a baby grand […]
It’s scam season on campus
As we kick off the new semester, it’s important to stay alert. Cybercriminals love this time of year because they know you are busy and distracted. Here are some of the most common scams we see targeting our community right now: Document signature requests: This comes in as a request to sign or review documents, […]
New MFA self-service reset portal for UFV students
Have you ever been locked out of your UFV student account because your phone broke, you got a new device, or your MFA app just decided to betray you? We know it can be frustrating. That’s why we launched a new MFA Reset Portal for current students, so you can get back into your account […]
Sneaky phish poses as IT Service Desk
Our team was alerted to a sneaky phishing email that came in just before the long weekend. This email had a link to a fake Outlook login page: a classic phishing attempt. If you enter your username and password on this page, the scammer now has your login details – but your account is protected […]
Fake CAPTCHA pages spreading malware
There is a sneaky new technique to get malware onto your system; attackers are now creating fake CAPTCHA pages to trick you into running commands that will compromise your device. You’re probably familiar with CAPTCHA challenges. Websites use them to distinguish humans from bots, often with a “verify you are human” checkbox or a task […]