As much as 56 percent of email is spam, 40 percent of websites are fake, and 21 percent of phone apps are malicious, says Kevin Macnaughton, team leader security in Information Technology Services.

The internet can be a risky place — but users can take steps to minimize that risk.

“Antivirus is tried and true,” Macnaughton says.  It’s like putting on your seatbelt when you get in the car. It should be mandatory and automatic.”

But he suggests other activities that should be automatic, listing three fundamental practices for securing computers from hackers:

1. Look for the lock in the address bar for every website that you use.
2. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when using the Internet in public spaces to secure your data
3. Patch and Reboot your system regularly to ensure your computer is up to date and protected

Led by IT Services, Cybersecurity Awareness Month efforts highlight cybersecurity issues relevant to the UWindsor community. More information, along with how you can protect yourself, can be found at uwindsor.ca/cybersecurity. This website will be updated regularly with best practices and current threats.