The Division of Information Technology will host the third annual cybersecurity awareness carnival, “Festival of the Phishes,” on Thursday. Students, faculty and staff will come together to generate discussion of online risk, cyber threats and to enjoy the perks of free snacks and games.
The Festival of the Phishes will be held in Trinity Commons (between BMU and MLIB) from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
There are going to be 12 carnival-styled games with a cybersecurity twist. One of these activities is a mechanical surfboard ride that features the ongoing theme of “safe surfing” online, including other booths such as Slam the Spam, Dart the Deadspot and Pop-a-Duo.
One of the new booths this year is “Predict-a-Phish,” designed to be a fortune-telling-like booth; however, instead of tarot, cards show what attackers look for. A short reading is included with tips to stay safe.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Since 2004, it has brought attention to the dangers of online threats and how to keep personal information safe. Chico State’s event will be full of carnival games, interactive exhibits and conversations with DoIT staff on how to keep data safe.
The theme of this year’s awareness month is “Secure our World,” following four main focuses that students and staff should follow when surfing the web. This includes using a password manager, turning on Duo multifactor authentication, recognizing and reporting phishing attacks, and keeping software up-to-date.
The original concept of the games and activities was put together by the Manager of Communication and Partnership Development, Jantinder Sandhu, while the Information Security team (ISEC), IT leadership, and DoIt staff refined the ideas, according to Sandhu.
“Our Creative Media and Technology team (CMT) brings it to life each year by printing, designing, and building all the exhibits seen at the Festival of the Phishes” Sandhu said.
Cybersecurity isn’t something that should be taken lightly. If any staff or students check their email, log into services, or browse on the web, they are ultimately a target for cyber attacks. Learning some small habits and tricks can help protect accounts, data, and the university’s system.
Whether you are a professional in cybersecurity or just now hearing of it, Festival of the Phishes is a chance to learn about the importance of keeping information safe and have fun doing so. Check out the event to learn new skills and test your knowledge that could save you from a cyber scare.
Allisyn Shaw can be reached at [email protected].
