Download PDF: K-12 Cyber Awareness Calendar Be Cyber-Aware! School Year 2021/22
September 2021
Cyber awareness for back to school
Back to school is an exciting time for students, parents, educators and staff. Unfortunately, it is also an exciting time for hackers, identity thieves, and other unscrupulous individuals who look to take advantage of this busy time of year. Parents: It is important to be vigilant of back to school scams and September is a perfect time to remind kids of important ways to stay safe online as they return to school.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Week 1 Tips: Do a Cyber Safe Checkup and find out about ways to help kids be safer. Secure your children’s devices, accounts and connections. If buying a new device – secure it! | ||||||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Week 2 Tips: Learn of ways to talk to children about being cyber aware. Here’s a handy and simple cyber security checklist! | ||||||
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Week 3 Tips: Protect accounts and passwords of school-provided learning platforms and education tools. If learning remotely, remember safe video conferencing tips as a participant or an educator. | ||||||
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Week 4 Tips: Become familiar with the school board’s policies on acceptable use and online behaviour. Lookout for any important cyber messages from the school or board. | ||||||
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | ||
| Week 5 Tips: Remind children about phishing risks, oversharing information and overusing technology. Test their safety knowledge. Learn what to do about a suspicious-looking message. | ||||||
October 2021
K-12 Cyber Awareness Month (CAM)
October is internationally recognized as Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM). Our campaign is tailored for K-12 education with a focus on cyber security, online safety and online privacy. The theme for this year is “Cyber awareness as self-care” with additional weekly themes. Adopting safe and secure habits online is caring for your online presence and digital footprint.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Week 1 Theme: Show your devices and accounts some love. | ||||||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Week 2 Theme: Pay attention to your home network and Wi-Fi connections. | ||||||
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Week 3 Theme: Care for your personal information – it is valuable! | ||||||
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Week 4 Theme: Be mindful of your online presence and digital footprint. | ||||||
| 31 | ||||||
November 2021
Netiquette: Online manners
Netiquette is a combination of the words net (internet) and etiquette and is a set of rules for acceptable online behaviour. We need these rules to know how to communicate respectfully online and how to use internet in productive, positive, and socially responsible ways. The Golden Rule of Netiquette is to treat others online as you would want to be treated.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| Week 1 Tips: Share mindfully and be respectful. If you wouldn’t say it face to face, don’t say it online either. Avoid posting inflammatory or offensive messages online. | ||||||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Week 2 Tips: Don’t post or share (even privately) inappropriate material – everything you post or share online, stays online… forever… even if you think you’ve deleted it. Know the law – Non-consensual sharing of intimate images is never ok! If someone has shared a photo of you without your consent, there are steps you can take. | ||||||
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Week 3 Tips: Bullying and harassment can happen online and can be especially dangerous as it is easier to carry-out, it’s more visible and it follows the victim. Learn more about cyberbullying during bullying awareness and prevention week. | ||||||
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| Week 4 Tips: Be Careful with your tone. Using ALL CAPS, exclamations, and humour could be interpreted incorrectly as impolite or rude. And yes, grammar and spell do matter. | ||||||
| 28 | 29 | 30 | ||||
| Week 5 Tips: Post things that will inspire and motivate others in a positive way. Don’t be a purveyor of misinformation and fake news. Fact-check before sharing or re-posting. | ||||||
December 2021
Don’t be a victim of cyber scams!
Online shopping fraud is the most common type of property crime. Review your purchases before paying and look for red flags: Is the price too low? No PayPal payment option? No refund terms or reviews?
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Week 1 Tips: If the deal looks too good to be true, it likely is. Avoid becoming a victim of an online shopping scam. | ||||||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Week 2 Tips: Personal information on social media is an easy grab for online scammers to use and buy things without your permission – know and control what your profile says and displays. | ||||||
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Week 3 Tips: Purchasing online software? Always check what you try to download to help ensure you aren’t directed to a malicious site or software. Learn of ways to download safely. | ||||||
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Week 4 Tips: Are you logging onto a legitimate website or responding to a legitimate email? Look for signs of spoofing, don’t be tricked! Use secure websites with HTTPS instead of HTTP. | ||||||
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
| Week 5 Tips: Cyber criminals always look to different/new ways to scam unsuspecting individuals. Here are some of cyber criminals’ favourite tactics and learn to slam the scam. | ||||||
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
| Week 5 Tips: Cyber criminals always look to different/new ways to scam unsuspecting individuals. Here are some of cyber criminals’ favourite tactics and learn to slam the scam. | ||||||
January 2022
Think before you click
Cyber criminals often use email addresses that look okay, current topics, and promises of prizes or free things to get us to click on malicious (bad) links. These criminals count on catching people off-guard. Be careful and stop to think about the messages you receive before you click.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Week 1 Tips: Don’t be tricked into sharing your confidential information like passwords or downloading malicious (bad) software. | ||||||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Week 2 Tips: Learn about phishing, don’t get hooked. Before providing any information, try to verify through a different communication channel that the sender is who they say they are. | ||||||
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Week 3 Tips: Consider installing anti-virus and anti-malware software that scan files for certain patterns or signatures of known viruses and malicious software. Protect yourself! | ||||||
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| Week 4 Tips: Beware of ransomware that can take control of your device and lock your access or files. | ||||||
| 30 | 31 | |||||
February 2022
Stranger DANGER!
Beware the unknown online personas, proceed with caution and be very careful about the personal information you reveal. Online predators can lie about everything. Before engaging with new “friends” online ask yourself: is this person really a stranger?
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Week 1 Tips: Beware of online predators. They build trust by sending many messages, asking to keep their conversations a secret, and manipulating to get personal information. | ||||||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Week 2 Tips: Be aware of online luring and grooming risks, and beware of cappers. A child who is being victimized may have changes in behaviour at home and at school. Know the signs. Know the signs. Learn more about child sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. | ||||||
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Week 3 Tips: Use safety controls to customize your family’s cyber experience, block inappropriate content and set time limits. Set ground rules, talk about the risks and ways to deal with them. | ||||||
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| Week 4 Tips: Remember to check friend requests and group invites before accepting them. Think about whether you have moved a “new friend” to “non-stranger” status too quickly. | ||||||
| 27 | 28 | |||||
March 2022
Digital space spring cleaning
Spring has sprung! It’s time for a digital cleanup. – Did you know that digital spaces need cleaning just like our homes? Digital clutter can slow down devices and services you use. Keeping old files, online accounts, and programs/apps can put your devices and information at risk. To keep your devices and data safe and secure year-round, take some time to spring clean your digital space.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Week 1 Tips: Delete unused and outdated apps/programs on your devices. This frees up space and prevents old information from being shared. Some outdated apps may also become unsecure. | ||||||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Week 2 Tips: Review your accounts and close/delete the ones you don’t use. This reduces the risk of exposing your info (email, usernames, passwords, etc.) in the event of a data breach. | ||||||
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Week 3 Tips: Clear your web browser cache and cookies. This improves web browser performance and increases your online privacy. | ||||||
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| Week 4 Tips: Back-up and archive your files regularly. This will ensure your data will always be available in the event of device failure or compromise. Delete files no longer needed. | ||||||
| 27 | 28 | |||||
| Week 5 Tips: Update your system and software. Having the latest updates keeps your devices and information secure. Recycling your device? Know what to do. | ||||||
April 2022
Your digital self-defence
Details such as birthdates, phone numbers, bank account, education, sexuality, religious affiliations, email addresses and passwords are regularly revealed online leaving internet users vulnerable to social engineering and possibly cybercrime. Digital self-defence is about digital self-empowerment. Learn digital strategies to protect your personal information, image, and reputation online.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Week 1 Tips: Review the privacy/security settings on your devices and protect personal information on mobile apps – they may be sending data and using your microphone to ‘listen’ for information. | ||||||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Week 2 Tips: Personal information you post online can put you and your loved ones at increased risk of cybercrime and harassment. Travel plans and photos can tell thieves that you are away! | ||||||
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Week 3 Tips: You may be unknowingly sharing personal information through social media games, quizzes and through shareable, interactive posts and pictures. Fight the urge and peer pressure! | ||||||
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Week 4 Tips: Protect your reputation. Data created through your activities and communication online make up your digital footprint. That includes social media “likes” and comments. | ||||||
May 2022
Lock your door; lock your data
You wouldn’t leave your house without locking your door – the same applies to your devices, applications, and accounts. Passwords or passphrases provide the first line of defence against intruders and cyber criminals. A few key password best practices will help protect your devices, accounts, and personal information. Take the time, the extra effort is worth it!
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Week 1 Tips: Always use a unique strong password or passphrase for every account and device. Do not use personal information (e.g. name, age, date of birth, child’s name, pet’s name). | ||||||
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| Week 2 Tips: Verify the strength of all your passwords. Check whether your passwords have been previously exposed in a data breach. If yes, change them immediately! | ||||||
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Week 3 Tips: Use a password manager to keep track of login information. Never allow your web browser to save your passwords. Turn off the built-in password manager in your browser. | ||||||
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Week 4 Tips: Check if multi-factor authentication (MFA) is available on your devices and accounts. If yes, set it up for enhanced security. Remember not to share your login and password details. | ||||||
| 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||
June 2022
Social media
Using social media helps you connect with your friends and family, share interest with others or get the latest news. While social media can be fun, it can be risky as well! Sharing your personal information can make you an easy target for scammers, identity thieves and online predators. That’s why you should always be cautious what you post online!
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| Week 1 Tips: Are your online friends who they say they are? Be selective, be cautious, be a sleuth! Always be watchful about the people you connect with. Block unfriendly connections. | ||||||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Week 2 Tips: What are your privacy settings on your devices and installed social media applications? Privatize your social life by setting privacy permissions. | ||||||
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Week 3 Tips: Don’t share everything on social media, especially your personal information. | ||||||
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| Week 4 Tips: Don’t use location services especially when posting online. Refrain from giving too much information about activities, it might provide your exact location. | ||||||
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | ||
| Week 5 Tips: Be judicious about what you post online. You are what you post, and postings are forever! So be considerate and get consent before you post about others. | ||||||
July 2022
Game on! Safely!
Gaming is fun for both kids and adults! It can be even more fun when you play wisely, safely and know when to stop. Nowadays, most games are online or connected to the internet. This leaves gamers vulnerable to attacks from cyber criminals or harassment from malicious individuals. Learn how to keep your online gaming experience safe and enjoyable.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Week 1 Tips: Review gaming accounts to configure privacy and security settings to limit over-sharing of information. Set parental controls to establish parameters for kids. | ||||||
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Week 2 Tips: Play in disguise, use an avatar and a safe game name. Don’t use your photo, first or last name or any other personal details. | ||||||
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Week 3 Tips: Think about who you are playing with; people may not be honest about who they are. Block, report and mute people who troll, bully or harass you in games. | ||||||
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Week 4 Tips: Be careful about in-game purchases and loot boxes. Don’t download software from strangers, such as cheat mods or automation scripts and programs, they may contain malware. | ||||||
| 31 | ||||||
August 2022
Connected things
Smart watches, smart speakers, smart doorbells, home security systems, smart cameras, smart appliances, even smart toilets (smirk) make our lives more convenient… Smart devices can potentially be used by cyber criminals if left unsecured. Learn how to secure these devices against cyber threats.
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| Week 1 Tips: Change default usernames and passwords! Keep your smart devices on a separate network. | ||||||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| Week 2 Tips: Keep the software on your smart devices up to date. Apply updates automatically or make sure to check and update regularly. | ||||||
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| Week 3 Tips: Learn what personal information a smart device is collecting, and the privacy controls it offers, before buying it. | ||||||
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| Week 4 Tips: Do your research before buying a smart toy – is it collecting and sharing identifying information? Can the toy and information it gathers be effectively secured? | ||||||
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |||
| Week 5 Tips: Have a home digital assistant? Adjust its privacy settings. Using a wearable device such as a fitness tracker or smart watch? Know the risks to privacy. | ||||||
Summary of Cyber Resources Referenced
September 2021 – Cyber protection for back to school
Week 1
Take the Get Cyber Safe Checkup – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
A parent’s guide to cyber safe back-to-school shopping – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Secure your devices – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Secure your accounts – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Secure your connections – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
New device checklist – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 2
Cyber security for kids: How parents can talk with their children – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Cyber security checklist – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 3
Tips for video conferencing for staff and teachers – ECNO.org and Ministry of Education in collaboration with members from OASBO ICT and CCTIC
Tips for video conferencing for participants (students and parents) – ECNO.org and Ministry of Education in collaboration with members from OASBO ICT and CCTIC
Week 4
Cyber security checklist – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 5
Video: Phishing: Don’t take the bait! – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Real examples of fake emails – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Guess What!?! – Zoe & Molly Online (zoeandmolly.ca) – Canadian Centre for Child Protection
What to do about a suspicious-looking message – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
October 2021 – K-12 Cyber Awareness Month (CAM)
Week 1
K-12 CAM 2021 – Week 1 – ecno.org
Week 2
K-12 CAM 2021 – Week 2 – ecno.org
Week 3
K-12 CAM 2021 – Week 3 – ecno.org
Week 4
K-12 CAM 2021 – Week 4 – ecno.org
November 2021 – Netiquette: Online Manners
Week 2
Know the law – Non-consensual sharing of intimate images is never OK! – Criminal Code – Government of Canada
Help! Someone shared a photo of me without my consent – Tip sheet – Media Smarts
Week 3
Cyberbullying: How to stay safe – Kids Help Phone
Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week – Government of Ontario
Week 5
Break the fake – MediaSmarts
December 2021 – Don’t be a victim of cyber scams!
Week 1
How to avoid becoming the victim of an online shopping scam – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 2
Social media – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 3
How you can stay cyber secure when downloading and using apps – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 4
Spoofing: An introduction – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 5
A brief overview of cyber criminals’ favourite tactics – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Slam the scam – Protect yourself against fraud – Government of Canada
January 2022 – Think before you click
Week 1
Social engineering: how cyber scams trick us – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 2
What is phishing? – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 3
Malware infographic detected! – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
What is malware: How to protect yourself – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 4
Video: Malware and ransomware – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Ransomware 101: How to stay cyber secure – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
February 2022 – Stranger Danger
Week 4
Online Luring – cybertip.ca
Grooming – cybertip.ca
Hard Truth: What are cappers, and the real online risk your kids face right now – ProtectKidsOnline.ca
What are signs that someone is being sex trafficked or sexually exploited? – White Ribbon Canada
What is Child Sexual Exploitation and Sex Trafficking? – White Ribbon Canada
March 2022 – Digital space spring cleaning
Intro
Your devices could use a good SCRUB – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 2
Just Delete Me | A directory of direct links to delete your account from web services – backgroundchecks.org
Week 3
Web browser tips – ecno.org
Week 4
Does your data have a backup plan? – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 5
System updates – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Video: Software updates – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Recycling Your Device? – Recyclemycell.ca
April 2022 – Your digital self defence
Week 1
Protecting personal information on your mobile devices – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Tips for protecting your personal information when downloading and using mobile apps – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
May 2022 – Lock your door, lock your data
Week 1
Passphrases, passwords and PINs – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 3
Password managers – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 4
Why multi-factor authentication is an essential part of cyber security – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
June 2022 – Social Media
Week 1
Are your online friends who they say they are? – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Week 2
Tips for using privacy settings – Social media and other online services – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
July 2022 – Game on! Safely!
Intro
Gaming systems – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
August 2022 – Connected Things
Intro
How to secure your smart devices against cyber threats this summer – Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada
Week 1
Smart devices and your privacy – Secure the network – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Week 2
Smart devices and your privacy – Security isn’t a one-time affair – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Week 5
Tips for using privacy settings – Home digital assistants – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Wearable devices and your privacy – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Summary of Annual Cyber Events
- October 2021 – Cyber Security Awareness Month (CSAM) and K-12 Cyber Awareness Month (CAM) – ECNO.org K-12 CAM
- October 25th to 30th, 2021 – Media Literacy Week
- November 22nd to 26th, 2021 – Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
- January 28th, 2022 – Data Privacy Day
- February 8th, 2022 – Safer Internet Day
- February 22nd, 2022 – National Human Trafficking Awareness Day
- March 2022 – Fraud Prevention Month
- March 20th, 2022 – Digital Cleanup Day
- March 31st, 2022 – World Backup Day
- June 17th, 2022 – Stop Cyberbullying in Ontario Day
This calendar was developed as a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education, the Educational Computing Network of Ontario (ECNO), school board members of Ontario Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Comité consultatif des technologies de l’information et des communications (CCTIC), and with input from the Cyber Security Division, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, and Get Cyber Safe, Government of Canada.