What is Phishing?
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You may not realize it, but you are a phishing target at work and at home. you and your devices are worth a tremendous amount of money to cyber criminals, and they will do anything they can to hack them. YOU are the most effective way to detect and stop phishing. If you identify an email you think is a phishing attack, call your security team right away. If you are concerned you may have fallen victim, do not hesitate to contact them. To learn more about phishing or to demo the SANS Securing The Human phishing testing platform, please visit Security Awareness Website.
Phishing Indicators
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- Check the email addresses. See if the "FROM" address is someone's personal account. If email address reads @gmail.com or @hotmail.com it is most likely an attack. Also, check the "TO" and "CC" fields. Is the email being sent to people you do not know or do not work with?
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- Be suspicious of emails addressed to "Dear Customer" or that use other generic salutation. If a trusted organization has a need to contact you, they should know your name and information. Also ask yourself, am I expecting an email from this company?
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- Be suspicious of grammar or spelling mistakes; most businesses proofread their messages carefully before sending them.
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- Be suspicious of any email that requires "immediate action" or creates a sense of urgency. This is a common technique to rush people into making a mistake. Also, legitimate organizations will not ask you for your personal information.
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- Be careful with links, and only click on those that you are expecting. Also, hover your mouse over the link. This shows you the true destination of where you would go if you clicked on it. If the true destination is different that what is shown on the email, this is an indication of an attack.
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- Be suspicious of attachments. Only click on those you are expecting
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- Be suspicious of any message that sounds too good to be true. No, you did not just win the lottery.
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- Just because you got an email from your friend does not mean they sent it. Your friend's computer may have been infected or their account may be compromised. If you get a suspicious email from a trusted friend or colleague, call them on the phone.
Other Indicators:
- May contain fuzzy logo symbols, which are not genuine
- May not contain email signatures or any contact information
- May contain bad grammar and capitalized letter errors
- Generally require you to take quick action, such as verifying your account to prevent it from being deactivated
- Be particularly vigilant during holidays or during significant events since attackers heighten their activity during these times.
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- Beware of messages that claim your account has been suspended
- Be suspicious of any email containing urgent requests for personal financial information
- Never click on a link in an email. Instead, always type the legitimate Web address of the site you want to reach directly into your Web browser.
- Be suspicious of email messages and other electronic communications from sources you do not know or recognize
- Use the latest versions of your operating system (OS) and applications
- Have the latest security software updates (patches) installed. This includes patches for your OS and applications
- Keep your anti-virus software up to date
- Report any suspicious emails
- Avoid and report phishing emails in Google Avoid and report phishing emails
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