Phishing 101

How can I protect myself against phishing? Prevention offers the first line of defense against cyberattacks. Learning how to identify phishing attempts is the first step in protecting yourself from them. Be Wary Plenty of phishing attempts may have spelling, grammar, or other glaring errors that can tip you off it’s a phish–but just as many don’t. Some of the most sophisticated phishing attempts will appear to come from people you trust. Be wary of emails that ask you to open a file, click on a link, or enter information into a form. Be especially careful of emails that ask you to enter your Access Account information. Remember: you wouldn’t give a stranger the keys to your apartment. When you give up your Access Account information, you’re doing the same thing to your digital space. Confirm Before You Click Use caution and trust your instincts. If an email seems suspicious, call the sender or email them directly. If you click on a phishing email “just to check” if it’s really from a friend, coworker or classmate, it may already be too late. Even clicking on that link can infect your system will malware or other malicious code. When in doubt, report it. You can always contact the OPP ITS HelpDesk (5-7197), submit an ITS HelpDesk Ticket or email OPPHelpDesk@psu.edu, if you have any concerns about a possible phishing email. Details Matter Sometimes, but not always, a phishing attempt will try to use information that they know about your organization to create a more authentic-sounding message. Read the message carefully and think about the style and tone: does it match how the sender would usually write? Does it use terms that your organization does not? For example, Penn State doesn’t refer to your Webaccess ID as your “PSU user name.” How can I protect myself against phishing?

How can I recognize a phish? Scammers continue to produce more and more sophisticated scams that very closely resemble information from trusted organizations. Although no two phishing attempts are alike, use these tips to help you recognize a phishing attempt: Suspect the unexpected: many phishing attempts include attachments or links that may appear unexpected to the user. For example, an attacker may send an invoice, a package delivery notice, etc. Ignore the call: many phishing emails contain a “call to action” (click on a link, download a file, provide user credentials, etc.). Don’t take action until you’re sure the sender is legitimate. If you are suspicious, confirm before you click: call or email the sender directly prior to taking any action, downloading any file, or providing any sensitive information.

Here are a couple phishing emails, with tips included, to help you recognize a PHISH.

Important Information Take a minute to watch this short video from Penn State’s Office of Information Security https://psu.app.box.com/v/phishing- digital-toolkit/folder/54967037768 To report a phishing email, please forward the message to phishing@psu.edu. For the latest phishing alerts please visit: https://phishing.psu.edu Important Information

Questions