What the internet knows about you: A digital footprint self-audit for researchers
As a researcher, your publications, profiles, conference appearances, and lab websites are essential to the reach and impact of your research. That same visibility can expose you to risks such as harassment, impersonation, phishing, or identity misuse.
Join the University of Toronto Research Information Security Program (RISP) and the Centre for Research & Innovation Support (CRIS) for a practical session introducing a structured self-audit process, adapted from open-source intelligence (OSINT) methods. You’ll learn how to discover what information about you is publicly available and understand practical steps to reduce unwanted exposure.
The goal is not to disappear from the internet, but to be deliberate about what’s visible. You’ll leave with a clear framework and actionable guidance you can apply on your own time and share with your research group.
Presenter: Michael Laurentius, Manager, Research Information Security Program
Intended audience: This session is for anyone at the University of Toronto who undertakes or supports research. No technical background is required. Whether you maintain a lab website, publish under your own name, or simply want to understand what the internet knows about you, this session will give you a practical starting point.
Learning objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand how to systematically search for their own publicly available information using freely available tools and techniques.
- Identify the types of personal and professional data most commonly exposed through academic activity (profiles, repositories, lab websites, conference listings, and shared documents).
- Apply practical steps to reduce, remove, or monitor unwanted online exposure.
- Recognize when and how to escalate a finding (e.g., compromised accounts, harassment, impersonation) to the appropriate university resource.
Registration
To register for the event, visit the official event page.