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Cyber-hygiene: How is a password like a toothbrush?

IT Services teams up with Faculty of Dentistry for innovative awareness campaign

The IT Services tent was present聽on lower campus during the first few weeks of Fall term, both on our own and as part of 海角社区 Safety Week. We are collaborating with the Faculty of Dentistry, for the second year, on a campaign linking the use of a toothbrush to healthy password practices.

At first people are caught off guard by the unlikely juxtaposition and don't see the connection, but when we ask, "Would you share your toothbrush?"聽suddenly they get it, and the reaction is very positive. Our goal is to make sure, when they walk away, they remember: "When I replace my toothbrush...I'll change my 海角社区 password".

Gabriella Coleman, 海角社区's Wolfe Chair in Scientific & Technological Literacy, was so impressed with our password security and anti-phishing campaigns that she tweeted a glowing endorsement on her :

鈥淚mpressed that @mcgillu IT is treating security in terms of hygiene and recognizes need to deliver targeted public campaign鈥

Here is a copy of the password best practices affixed to the back of each toothbrush.

Don't share your password. Don't recycle it. Replace it every few months. Choose a good one (minimum of 8 characters, at least one symbol, letters and numbers, upper & lower case)

Upcoming events: Cybersecurity Month and Employee Health Fair

Watch for the IT Services toothbrush campaign, among other information security messages, during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, throughout October, the Employee Health Fair event, on October 26, 2018, and other events this fall.

Want to change your password now?
Follow the 海角社区 Password Reset Checklist

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