Cybersecurity 2020: Phishing
Categories: Best Practices Cyber Security Awareness Month Security
The Federal Trade Commission explains that phishing “is a type of online scam that targets consumers by sending them an e-mail that appears to be from a well-known source.” The message attempts to get you to share valuable personal and sensitive information such as login names and passwords, bank account information or a social security number.
Tips to spot a phishing message:
- Move your cursor over all links in the message (do not click on a link) and notice the resulting text. For example, hover over this link: http://support.dasnr.okstate.edu Does the link address match the text? (In this example, notice the link does NOT point to the DASNR IT website referenced by the link text!) If not, be suspicious and consider deleting the message.
- Read the email critically. Note the sender’s reply-to address and make sure it matches the name. Watch for misspellings and unusual phrases. Be wary of deals and offers that seem too good to be true or are asking you to act with an urgency which might cloud your judgement.
- If things look legitimate but you are still uneasy, contact the sender either by telephone or with a new email message (not replying to the message).
If in doubt feel free to contact me (dwayne.hunter@okstate.edu), an OSU Extension Technology Specialist or your DASNR departmental IT Specialist. #BeCyberSmart
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