Ask the Helpdesk – What is Phishing?

How can you protect yourself from cybercriminals?

Cyber criminals have a way of enticing people and getting them to click on links or open attachments. They sometimes send emails that seem like they are coming from your bank or government agencies. They instill fear and make you feel like you need to act fast and you haven’t even had a chance to think about the legitimacy of the email.
There are several types of attacks that involve emailing people or attempting to trick them into clicking a link. Phishing is when an email or website (link) are used to collect personal and financial information or infect your machine in order to do so. Spear phishing is a highly specialized attack against a specific person or small group in order to collect information.

According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, if you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it with these steps:

  • Contact the company directly.
  • Contact the company using information provided on an account statement or back of a credit card.
  • Search for the company online – but not with information provided in the email.

How Do You Avoid Being a Victim?

  • Don’t reveal personal or financial information in an email, and do not respond to email solicitations for this information. This includes following links sent in email.
  • Before sending sensitive information over the Internet, check the security of the website.
  • Pay attention to the website’s URL. Malicious websites may look identical to a legitimate site, but the URL may use a variation in spelling or a different domain (e.g., .com versus .net).
  • If you are unsure whether an email request is legitimate, try to verify it by contacting the company directly. Contact the company using information provided on an account statement, not information provided in an email. Information about known phishing attacks is available online from groups such as the Anti-Phishing Working Group. Report phishing to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG)
  • Keep a clean machine. Having the latest operating system, software, web browsers, anti-virus protection and apps are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats.