October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month—a time to strengthen the habits that help protect our information, accounts, devices, and UCLA community.
Cyber threats continue to evolve, from convincing phishing messages and fraudulent login pages to scams that use artificial intelligence to imitate familiar voices, images, and communications. Staying secure doesn’t require being a cybersecurity expert. Taking a moment to pause, verify, and think before you click, share, or respond can make a meaningful difference.
Throughout October, we’ll highlight practical ways to recognize cyber threats, protect your digital identity and information, and make safer decisions online. Each week focuses on a different part of staying cyber-safe:
- Week 1 — Guardians of Innovation: Know What Matters
Understand what information and resources need protection and the role you play in keeping them secure. - Week 2 — Outsmart the Scam: Recognize the Attack
Learn to recognize phishing, social engineering, impersonation, and other tactics attackers use to get your attention and trust. - Week 3 — Guard Your Digital Identity: Protect Your Assets
Strengthen the security of your accounts, personal information, devices, and other digital assets. - Week 4 — Trust but Verify: Protect the Community
Pause and verify before acting, and learn how your security decisions can help protect the broader UCLA community.
Why It Matters
Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. A compromised account, exposed password, or convincing phishing message can affect more than one person. Building strong security habits helps protect your information while strengthening the security of our entire community.
Throughout Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take part in the weekly activities, test your cybersecurity knowledge, and discover simple actions you can use every day.
Together, Bruins can help build a safer, more secure digital UCLA.
How Cyber-Smart are you?
Put your cybersecurity knowledge to the test and enter the UCLA vs USC Game Ticket raffle!
Complete the Cybersecurity Awareness Month Quiz for a chance to participate in the Cybersecurity Awareness Month giveaway. Complete the quiz by October 31, 2026, to be eligible for the giveaway.*
One quiz completion per person.
*Participation details and eligibility requirements apply.
Cyber Awareness Zoom Backgrounds
October 27, 2025
DDoS Attacks Explained
Imagine 1,000 prank callers dialing your phone at the same time. You’d never hear from the people who really needed to reach you. That’s essentially how a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack works. Instead of phone lines, attackers target websites or online services, hijacking devices and commanding them to flood a site with fake requests.
October 20, 2025
Understanding Insider Threats
When people think of cyberattacks, they often imagine shadowy hackers breaking in from the outside. But some of the most damaging threats actually come from within. Insider threats — whether accidental, careless, or intentional — can expose sensitive data, disrupt operations and put the entire UCLA community at risk.
October 13, 2025
A Guide to Defeat Social Engineers
Social engineering attacks are scams that target people, not machines. Instead of breaking through firewalls, attackers exploit human psychology, using trust, fear or urgency to trick their victims into opening the door. They often start as something routine, and the best isn’t software — it’s awareness.