Don’t get phished
We’ve been sharing more information about cyber security recently as it has been increasingly problematic for online users everywhere. Here at Langara, we’ve had 3.5 million exploit attempts blocked by our systems within the first six months of 2018, with 100 incidents of phishing reported to IT.
We would like to highlight some important points about phishing attempts. There are a few simple steps you can take to keep your personal information and college systems safe.
This is our request: please have a read below. If you are unsure of suspicious links or odd requests via email, or have questions about cyber security in general, please get in touch with our IT team via our online form at http://langara.ca/it or email ithelp@langara.ca.
Sincerely,
Jag Madan
Chief Information Officer
What is phishing?
Phishing involves the use of emails to convince the recipient to respond to or click on a link in an email that appears legitimate. These emails hook victims by luring them to click a link to a baited website that looks like a credible one. These sites are designed to steal your personal and financial details and can result in identity theft, financial loss, and credit card fraud.
How to detect phishing emails
- Unfamiliar email address. Look at the sender’s complete email address carefully. Phishing emails may look like they come from a credible source or appear similar to other email addresses you may already be familiar with. If the email comes from a Langara employee, make sure that email comes from @langara.ca
- Poor spelling or grammar (common on suspicious websites)
- Generic greetings and signatures
- Messages that sound urgent or require immediate action
- Too-good-to-be-true offers
If you detect a phishing attempt, do not reply to or click on links in the email or enter information into pop-ups that request a password, personal details, or financial information. Flag it and contact the IT department immediately.
More tips and resources
October 2018 was Cyber Security Awareness Month across Canada. Please check out these resources on The Langara Post about how to reduce risks with personal and work information.
