Have a Digitally Safe Summer – check out these Digital Security tips

Scammers do not take holidays, so remember to stay alert in your digital everyday life during the summer too! These tips will take you a long way:

Always think carefully before opening a link or attachment in a message. If you are even slightly unsure, do not open it; instead, verify the authenticity of the message with the sender through another communication channel. Recently, scam messages sent in the name of University of Helsinki staff and students have been circulating at the University (see more information in Flamma). The Finnish National Cyber Security Centre has also warned about scam messages sent in the name of Matkahuolto as well as increased AI-assisted M365 phishing.

Remember that the University, authorities or banks will never ask for your confidential personal information, online banking credentials or passwords by email or text message.
Do not delay installing updates! Updates protect your device against potential vulnerabilities. Remember to also check your application settings from time to time. If you use, for example, Telegram or WhatsApp, you can find tips in our earlier bulletin.
Multifactor authentication is your friend. Enable multifactor authentication in the applications you use whenever possible. It helps protect your account even if your password has been leaked.
Do you have a question related to information security? Ask and take part in a prize draw for University-themed prizes!

We received feedback from 164 students through a survey conducted at the end of 2025 – thank you for every response. In total, 418 university community members responded to the survey.
Of the students who responded, 71% prefer to follow news related to digital security through the Studies Service. Communication by email, newsletters and, for example, Instagram was also requested.
88% of students felt that the IT Security Test was a good reminder of secure ways of working. In the section related to information security training, respondents both praised and criticised the University IT Security Test. In the open-ended responsessome said the test was too easy, while others said it had improved year by year. There were also requests for content in formats other than text.
The open-ended responses highlighted, among other things, the importance of communication about information security, but also the limited time available in everyday life to focus on the topic. We will publish a more detailed report on the feedback survey in Flamma in the coming days.

Based on the feedback, we aim, among other things, to:

better prioritise the topics of information security communications
develop the content of the IT Security Test and its learning materials to make them more versatile
make information security more visible in everyday life at the university

Wishing everyone a sunny and digitally safe summer!