staff cybersecurity Resources and Tips
Google has identified more than 2 million phishing websites in just the first six weeks of 2022 alone. *
The education sector has the most recorded malware attacks. 61% of malware incidents during a one month span occurred in education. **
Staff Email safety tips
A network is only as good as its users. We all have a responsibility to keep our network safe. In the current international environment, there are many people using emails for fraudulent purposes.
Do not open SPAM emails. Do not click the unsubscribe button from SPAM. This lets ill-doers know they have found a good address.
Do not set up a forwarding rule form your lpsb.org email address to another email provider. Those emails will no longer have protection of our email filtering and can increase the vulnerability of any sensitive data contained in the forwarded emails.
Phishing Emails
Cybercriminals may use send you phishing emails to try to steal sensitive data, like usernames and passwords. These emails may have the same layout, colors, and language of the real person, and may link to a site that looks like the real thing.
Look for:
punctuation and grammar mistakes
domain on email address is off slightly (ex: lqsb.org)
false sense of urgency or panic (ex: they've noticed suspicious activity or log-in attempts or claim there is a problem with your account)
general greetings, like "Dear User"
ask you to confirm some personal information
include an invoice
If the email has a link, look at the link's URL carefully. Look for a secure "HTTPS".
If the email has an attachment, do not open or save it unless you can verify the sender and are expecting the attachment. The sender may appear to have a fake email address.
Avoid downloading and installing software sent to you through email.
If an email seems "off" to you, ask your school Technology Coordinator for assistance before acting.
Can you spot when you're being phished?
Do you have poor password hygiene?
passwords video - cybersecurity training.mp4Password-Best-Practices-Guide.pdfWhy should teachers vet resources and sites?
Excerpt from: Approaches to Vetting: Using Reliable Providers, DIY, or Model for Students***
Vetting....ensures students are learning from accurate, verifiable materials.
The ability to ask questions about sources, bias, and context are....essential skills for thriving in the modern world.
Rely on reputable companies and organizations like Newsela and The National Archives.
Vet resources for yourself, using a rigorous process that relies on sourcing, contextualizing, and corroborating. This opens up opportunities to model the process for students, and perhaps even to scaffold their own learning of the same skills. It is empowering for students to learn to vet resources for themselves.
Remember to watch any internet video before displaying it in class or sharing with students. Here's how you can share and watch YouTube videos without ads.
Some websites and resources provided by the parish may have links to other less reputable resources. Be cautious about allowing students to explore a website you do not know a lot about. It could lead down a rabbit hole.
interested in learning more about cybersecurity and digital citizenship?
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