Case Study: Large Canadian University achieves increased security awareness and reduced phishing risk with Fortra's Terranova Security

Canadian University Reduces Data Breach Potential And Strengthens Security Culture Through An Effective Awareness Training Program

A major Canadian university with about 40,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff faced increasing phishing attacks and stored large amounts of sensitive data across online and in-person environments. Because security training was not mandatory and many users feared repercussions from realistic simulations, the IT team needed to build a security-aware culture that encouraged voluntary participation and reduced human risk.

The university deployed Fortra’s Terranova Security: a multilingual, customizable awareness platform with 12 targeted training modules, phishing simulations and near‑real‑time reporting to run safe, engaging campaigns. The program drove a 5% increase in staff and faculty participation toward a 15% goal and reached 17,000 students (≈42%), with ongoing collaboration planned to optimize training and cultivate campus security ambassadors.