LOOK BEFORE YOU CLICK: Phishing attacks

A phishing attack is when you are sent an email that appears to be from an authentic source, but is actually from someone trying to track you and steal personal data or infect your computer or device with malware.  This advice from the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) makes sense:

Take 5 seconds with every email:  You can typically scan for the red flags of a phishing email by taking five seconds per email. Before clicking a link, sending any information, or downloading an attachment, take a breath and consider if the email is a phish. Ask a coworker, friend, or family member if the message seems strange. No email needs a response in less than a minute.  … When in doubt, throw it out.  Even if you know the source, if something looks suspicious, delete it.

For specific steps you can take to avoid phishing attacks, here are two good things to read:

• What is Phishing and How to Avoid It – from the National Cybersecurity Alliance.  Provides more details on what might give you pause in emails from unknown senders as well as ons that are familiar.
• How to Avoid Phishing Attacks – a Surveillance Self-Defense Tool Guide from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Includes basics like keeping your software updated to less obvious actions such as opening up all attachments in Google Drive.