Event: CYBERNOVA 2026 - Cyber Awareness Phish Hunt: "Spot the Trap, Stay Safe"

Date: 28.09.2026 (Monday)

Time: 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Mode: Offline

Venue: Block V, Room 208

Organised by: Zero Risk Network (ZRN), Department of Cyber Security

Event coordinator: Dr. T. Kanimozhi

Team size: 2 members per team

Participants: 57

Event overview

The Department of Cyber Security conducted "Cyber Awareness Phish Hunt" on 28.09.2026, organized by Zero Risk Network (ZRN), with the tagline "Spot the Trap, Stay Safe". Phishing emails, fake login pages and misleading links are a common problem for students as much as anyone else online, and the event was conducted to make students more careful about such messages.

Instead of a lecture, it was planned as an activity on the Phish Hunt platform, where teams of two members looked at emails, links and login pages and decided which were suspicious. The activity was explained by the organizing team, and the platform was shown on the classroom display before the teams began. 57 students took part, from programmes including B.Sc. Cyber Security, B.Sc. Computer Science, AI & ML, Data Science, BCA and MCA.

Event focus

• Identifying phishing emails and the signs that make them suspicious.
• Checking links and fake login pages before trusting them.
• Handling real-world cyber scenarios as a team of two.
• Testing one's own instincts and building safer digital habits.

Objectives of the event

• To create awareness about phishing among students.
• To help students identify suspicious emails and links.
• To help students understand fake login pages and other online traps.
• To encourage safe digital behaviour.
• To provide an interactive cybersecurity activity for the students.

Programme proceedings

• The programme began with an introduction and briefing by the organizing team.
• The Phish Hunt platform was demonstrated on the display screen in the classroom.
• Teams of two opened the platform on their mobile phones and laptops and took part in the phishing challenge.
• The leaderboard was displayed on the screen during the activity.
• The organizers moved around the hall, clarified doubts and helped the teams.

Outcome of the event

• Students became more aware of how phishing attempts look and how they can be identified.
• Students understood that fake login pages and links can look very close to the real ones.
• Working in teams of two made participants discuss each case and give reasons for their answers.
• The activity made students more careful about clicking on links and attachments.

Key takeaways

• Check the sender, the wording and the link before responding to any email.
• A fake login page may look like the original, so check the address of the page before entering a password.
• Think before clicking.
• Teamwork and careful observation help in spotting online traps.