Phishing Awareness: Identifying and Avoiding Phishing Scams

Learning Objectives Define phishing, spear phishing, and smishing. Identify at least five common red flags in a suspicious email or message. Analyze a hyperlink to determine if it is potentially malicious. Explain the concept of social engineering and its role in phishing attacks. Apply a systematic checklist to evaluate the legitimacy of a digital communication. Describe the appropriate actions to take when a phishing attempt is identified. You just received an email saying you won a brand new gaming console! 🎮 All you have to do is click a link and enter your login details to claim it. What do you do? This lesson will teach you how to spot fake messages designed to steal your information, a trick called 'phishing'. You'll learn the common signs of a scam a...

TermDefinitionExample PhishingA type of cyber attack where scammers use deceptive emails, texts, or websites to trick individuals into revealing sensitive personal information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details.An email that looks like it's from Netflix asks you to 'update your payment details' by clicking a link, but the link leads to a fake website that steals your information. Social EngineeringThe psychological manipulation of people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. Phishing is a form of social engineering.Creating a sense of urgency by saying 'Your account will be suspended in 24 hours unless you act now!' to make you panic and click without thinking. Spear PhishingA more targeted form of phishing where the at...

The S.L.A.M. Method Sender, Links, Attachments, Message. Systematically check these four components of any suspicious communication. Use this as a mental checklist whenever you receive an unexpected or urgent message. It forces you to slow down and analyze the message for red flags instead of reacting emotionally. Hover-to-Discover Rule IF (link_text != actual_destination_URL) THEN flag_as_suspicious Before clicking any link in an email, always hover your mouse cursor over it. The actual web address the link will take you to will appear in the bottom corner of your browser or email client. If this destination URL doesn't match the link text or looks suspicious, do not click it. The Urgency Check IF (message_creates_urgency OR message_creates_fear) THEN verify_inde...