Let's (Keep Talking) About Phishing

Let's (Keep Talking) About Phishing

Phishing is a long-used form of deception that uses what appears to be a legitimate email or website to mine for personal information. And while this practice is not new, it grows more sophisticated by the day. From spyware to ransomware to invoice fraud (we’ll talk more about that in tomorrow’s email), hackers are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to deceive and defraud.

 

Oftentimes, you are the last line of defense. Here are some proven tactics you can use to stop phishing in its tracks.

5 Tactics to Stop Phishing

Question everything and closely analyze any request for sensitive data or funds. Remember: in addition to emails, some of the most brazen hackers will even make direct phone calls posing as a reliable source.
Confirm all requests by direct and verbal communication.
Look closely at the email address and compare it to prior emails to confirm it is not engineered to look like the real deal. In many cases, the company domain may be slightly misspelled (for example, John.Doe@aliant.com).
Never open a document or click on a link in an email that you cannot confirm as legitimate, and never provide personal information, logins, or passwords.
Report it; if you think you have received a phishing email, contact the Help Desk at 
helpdesk@alliant.com
 or call (619) 849-3911. And if you happened to accidentally click on the wrong link or open the wrong document, it is imperative you report that, too.

Monitor. Confirm. Report.

 

Those are the three foundational elements of privacy and security, and they are your ultimate defense in the ongoing fight against phishing.

The Privacy & Security Guidebook

We have made all of the valuable information and resources from Privacy & Security week available to you via a downloadable guidebook. Download it, share it, and save it as a constant reminder that privacy and security is a critical part of everything we do!

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