This second week of October The Office of Information Technology Services is proud to partner with CISA and The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA) to promote the overarching theme of Cybersecurity Awareness Month “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.”
The theme for this week is “Fight the Phish!” Cybersecurity Awareness Month will focus on how individuals can spot potential phishing attempts this week. Phishing can often lead to vulnerabilities that can result in ransomware or other types of malware. Reduce your chances of falling victim to phishing attacks. Week 2 of Cybersecurity Awareness Month will stress the importance of being wary of emails, text messages or chat boxes that come from a stranger or someone you were not expecting. Think before you click on any suspicious emails, links or attachments and make sure to report any suspicious emails if you can!
For all of the emerging threats and news that are cropping up on the horizon, phishing — one of the oldest pain points in cybersecurity — is continuing to quietly wreak havoc, and is as big of a threat as it has ever been. Despite often being overlooked in terms of hype, phishing has been a mainstay in the cybersecurity threat landscape for decades.
Phishing is one of the most dangerous “action varieties”
As a result, the need for proper anti-phishing hygiene and best practices is an absolute must.
Know The Red Flags
Phishes are masters of making their content and interactions appealing. From content design to language, it can be difficult to discern whether content is genuine or a potential threat, which is why it is so important to know the red flags. Awkward and unusual formatting, overly explicit call outs to click a hyperlink or open an attachment, and subject lines that create a sense of urgency are all hallmarks that the content you received could be potentially from phish and indicate that it should be handled with caution.Verify The Source
Phishing content comes in a variety of ways, however, many phishes will try to impersonate someone you may already know — such as a dean or a department chair or a colleague, or friend — as a way to trick you into believing their malicious content is actually trustworthy. Don’t fall for it. If you sense any red flags that something may be out of place or unusual, reach out directly to the individual to confirm whether the content is authentic and safe. If not, break-off communication immediately and flag the incident through the proper channels.Be Aware
As more digital natives have come online and greater awareness has been spread about phishing, bad actors have begun to diversify their phishing efforts beyond traditional email. For example, voice phishing — or vishing — has become a primary alternative for bad actors looking to gain sensitive information from unsuspecting individuals. Similar to conventional phishing, vishing is typically executed by individuals posing as a legitimate organization — such as a healthcare provider or insurer — and asking for sensitive information. Simply put, it is imperative that individuals be wary of any sort of communication that asks for personal information whether it be via email, phone or chat — especially if the communication is unexpected. If anything seems suspicious, again, break-off the interaction immediately and contact the company directly to confirm the veracity of the communications.
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