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Tip of the Week - Still Phishing....

By ILTA Tips posted 05-20-2019 08:42

  

We all continue to get phishing emails asking for money and information. As virus protection can’t stop emails that are just asking for money, it is up to YOU to be aware. The following gives you excellent tips on what to look for.


 


When in doubt about an email, contact the Help desk!


 



Two Phish "Microsoft has just released their Security Intelligence Report (SIR), its annual cybersecurity summary, and it says that phishing is still the most popular way for cyber-criminals to attack, giving security experts everywhere headaches." They also say "No matter how many security defenses an organization has in place, no email filtering technology is 100% successful. This leaves it up to the user to identify a phishing email." 

Although phishing emails are becoming more complex and difficult to detect, they are never perfect. There is a list of five items you can look out for that will help you differentiate between a phishing email and a legitimate one.



  1. The email is sent from a public email address


Look at the sender’s email address, as this can help identify if the person is truly who they claim to be. Often, the criminal will use a public email address such as gmail.com. If your bank or colleague is going to email you, it will come from a company email account with the company name in the email address.



  1. Strange attachments


If you receive an unexpected email or an email from someone you don’t know asking you to open an attachment, do not open it. These attachments can contain malware that can harm your computer and capture your personal data.



  1. The creation of a sense of urgency – and sent at a strange time (2 a.m.??)


Phishing emails often ask recipients to verify personal information, such as bank details or a password. They can create a sense of urgency by warning that your account has experienced suspicious activity or pretending to be someone you know who is in urgent need of financial help.


These are massive warning signs. If you are ever unsure, contact the company or person using the contact details you already have for them or that are on their legitimate website. Never use any contact details or click any links provided in the email.



  1. Links to unrecognized sites or URLs that misspell a familiar domain name


Phishing emails may ask you to click a link within the email. By hovering your mouse over the link or address, you can see the linked site’s true URL. These URLs can be slightly misspelled or completely different to what you are expecting, so always double check before you click.



  1. Poor spelling and grammar


You can often detect a phishing email by the way it is written. The writing style might be different to that usually used by the sender and it might contain spelling mistakes and poor grammar.


One of the reasons behind the large increase in phishing attacks is the lack of basic knowledge about them. People are fundamental to cyber security, so it is vital that they can detect security threats and know how to respond.


 


Stay Aware


#TipOfTheWeek
#Security
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