Catch a Suspicious Email – Before It Catches You.

SDI's cybersecurity team offers user-friendly advice on managing common cyber threats.

Most business professionals are aware that malware and computer viruses can easily spread to unsuspecting users via e-mail. As threats become more sophisticated, what may look like a valid e-mail might contain a link to a website that can trick the recipient into giving up sensitive information or a disguised attachment that delivers a malicious payload.

Can you detect a suspicious email?

To help identify questionable emails, the SDI team points out the four indicators below that are typical red flags associated with malicious emails:

• Significant grammatical errors.
• Lack of a signature.
• Requests for passwords. Note that you should not be required to enter YOUR own username or password. Documents that are protected are usually done so using only a password that the sender would apply.
• Masked links. Links in e-mail that direct the user to a web page will display their actual URL when you hover your mouse pointer over the link. If in doubt, perform this check on the link.

Example: In the screen shot below, the e-mail appears genuine. Notice that the grammar is a bit off and there is no signature on the e-mail. Both should raise red flags.

While hovering over the link in the document (REVIEW DOCUMENT) notice that it sends the recipient off to a strange website:

Any links that look suspicious should be investigated before linking through.

It is important to note that suspicious emails should not be forwarded – which includes to your organization’s IT support team!  Talk to your internal IT contact to become familiar with your organization’s procedures for handling suspicious emails.

SDI offers comprehensive cybersecurity services - from initial vulnerability assessments through 24X7 cyber incident monitoring and response programs. The SDI cyber team develops enterprise cyber policies and procedures, provides vulnerability remediation services, and conducts employee cyber training to achieve our clients' target cybersecurity posture compliance.

Contact SDI for more information on how to protect your organization, starting with an initial enterprise vulnerability assessment.

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