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Off-pitch crooners rejoice: the University of Windsor is not instituting a digital authentication system requiring users to sing a melodic password.

An article in yesterday’s DailyNews announcing the Musical Password System was an April Fool’s prank dreamed up by Information Technology Services with an assist from choirs master Bruce Kotowich.

“Part of me just loves the idea of people annoying each other with singing at their desks,” says Marcin Pulcer, associate vice-president, IT Services.

The hoax did net a few fish, says Alisa Giroux-Souilliere, co-ordinator of change management and communication in IT Services.

“Eleven people signed up for the melody maker vocal coaching workshop,” she says. “They all received an automated response that said ‘We hope you got a laugh this April Fool’s Day!’”

One who was fooled was Karen Momotiuk, senior development office for the Faculty of Nursing.

“I told my family about the new policy, and the guy next to me on the train, too,” she says, chagrined.

For her part, communications co-ordinator Susan McKee, an enthusiastic chorister herself, was disappointed to learn it was a prank.

“You totally got me with the musical password story!” she wrote to DailyNews. “Here I was thinking how brilliant Marcin Pulcer is!”

In a bid to fortify its digital defenses, the University of Windsor has mandated cybersecurity training for all employees as outlined in the Cybersecurity Action Plan. This move comes in response to the escalating and persistent threats in the cyber landscape and aligns with best practices at other institutions.

“Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue, but a risk that affects every individual and department in our institution,” says Marcin Pulcer, associate vice-president, Information Technology Services. “This training is a critical step in ensuring that we are all equipped with the knowledge to protect ourselves and the University from cyber threats.”

The training is a valuable opportunity to learn how to safeguard oneself and share in the responsibility of protecting the University from cyberattacks. With cybercrime now the third-largest economy globally, the threat is imminent. In 2022, the global cost of cybercrime was a staggering $8.44 trillion US, and it’s anticipated to skyrocket to over $23 trillion by 2027.

The web-based cybersecurity training consists of two sections: training modules and a quiz that tests the knowledge and understanding of fundamental cybersecurity practices. IT Services will soon email each employee to provide more information and access to the training.

The cybersecurity training needs to be completed by faculty members, post-doctoral fellows, professor adjuncts, sessional instructors, staff, and student employees.

The University remains committed to protecting its technology and data, and this initiative is a testament to that commitment, says Pulcer: “Our collective effort to take cybersecurity precautions will significantly contribute to the University’s resilience against cyber threats.”