Phishing Isn't Phunny

In our everyday lives we interact with many types of technology. Whether it be your phone, your computer, or your tablet, you are constantly sending and receiving information. Sometimes this information can be compromised and it can be not only detrimental to you, but to the entire network and University. Did you know that Google finds 9,500 malicious websites everyday? Or that 86% of all emails sent are a scam or fraudulent? Here is some vital information that will aid you in protecting yourself against malicious scammers.

Harding University uses gmail as our email host, which is beneficial to us because Google effectively filters out most scams and spam. However, the fraudulent emails that 'got away' can be cleverly disguised as official University information.

 To make sure you don't fall for these schemes, here are some steps you can take to determine if the email is legit:
1. Check the senders address - does it look legit? Hover over the email address and make sure it matches the recipient in the 'mail to' field on the bottom of your browser. These can be easily manipulated to appear normal.
2. Check the link address - Before clicking on a link in an email, preview the link location by hovering over it to see if the destination at the bottom of the browser window matches where it goes. Often the scammer tries to make the domain name look legitimate and fools you. Don't let them fool you.
3. Avoid emails that have a sense of urgency, this can be false urgency with then intent to gather data before the site gets busted or is shut down.
4. Check the grammar - often times these emails are generated through a poorly written program that can generate many grammar inconsistencies. Professional Harding emails sent to the student body will rarely contain terrible grammar, so this is a dead giveaway.

Defensive Internet Browsing:

Scammers are always changing their tactics to become more believable, gather more information, and in turn do more damage. One way to do this is by spear fishing. This tactic targets a specific company or organization with personalized touches that makes it look that much more legit. In this instance, you are the primary target, using you to gain access to your entire organization. Spear phishers usually send emails to you with a link that prompts you to enter a username and password in an environment that looks very similar to exactly like the platform Harding uses already. Then the phisher uses this information to gain entry and compromise the network and others. These emails often play to your emotions and convey a sense of urgency that requires immediate attention.

Remember:

-Harding will never ask you to verify or send your password through an email.
-If you receive an email that you believe to be a scam or if you are unsure please email dormnet@harding.edu

Thank you to Valparaiso University for the information above. Please watch their video below.