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Throughout October, IT Services is serving up simple tips and resources to help you stay cybersafe.

We know cybersecurity advice can feel a lot like being told to eat your veggies; you know it’s good for you, but it’s not always the most exciting thing on the menu. So, for this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’re adding a little fun to those good-for-you cyber habits!

Keep an eye out for cyber tips (and plenty of corn-y veggie puns) around campus and on social media. Stop by one of our IT Roadshow locations for helpful tricks, interactive games, and prizes.

From protecting your data and spotting phishing to strengthening your passwords, we’ve got you covered. Eat your cyber veggies and stay cybersafe!

Enter for a chance to win a 200$ gift basket from the McGill Farmer's Market!

How healthy are your cyber habits? We want to learn how you protect your accounts. Your feedback will help IT Services better understand and support students’ needs, and your responses are confidential.

How to enter:

Take our Cybersecurity Awareness Month Student Survey.
Have an authenticator app set up as your primary mode of authentication for logging into your McGill accounts.
Be sure to read the Contest Rules for more details.
Submit your survey answers and have an authenticator app set up before November 6th, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

Build your cyber salad, one fresh tip at a time:

Leek-proof your data

Don’t let your data spring a leek! A few simple habits can make a big difference: Store important files somewhere secure, and be careful when sharing personal or sensitive information. For McGill data, use MS OneDrive or another IT-approved cloud service.

Dig into these resources to learn more:

Lettuce make strong passwords

Don’t leave your accounts vulnerable! A strong and unique password for each account is one of the simplest ways to protect yourself online. Has it been a while since you last updated your McGill password? It might be time for a refresh!

Dig into the resources below to keep your accounts safe:

Turnip your security with 2FA

When it comes to cybersecurity, one layer is good, but two are better!

For the healthiest two-factor authentication (2FA) experience, we recommend using the Microsoft Authenticator app as your primary authentication method. And don’t get caught in a pickle: Microsoft is retiring SMS and phone call authentication, make the switch to the Authenticator app today!

Stay a Beet Ahead of AI

Using unapproved AI tools can put sensitive information at risk and expose you to security threats. Stick to McGill-approved AI tools, like Microsoft Copilot Chat, to help keep your data protected.

And remember: think before you prompt! Be mindful of the information you share with AI tools and only enter data that is approved for use with that tool.

Dig into McGill’s approved AI tools and learn how to use AI safely:

Carve out phishing attempts

Trick or treat? Phishing attempts can wear some pretty convincing disguises. They may look like legitimate emails, using familiar names, realistic links, or urgent requests to lure you into sharing sensitive information. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making these scams more sophisticated than ever, so spotting what’s real and what’s a trick is getting harder.