How to Report Phishing Emails Using Gmail
Phishing emails are a common threat to email security, and it's important to know how to report them to protect yourself and your organization.
Definitions
Phishing: A deceptive attempt, typically via email or other digital communications, to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or financial details by posing as a legitimate entity.
Vishing: Vishing, short for "voice phishing," is a type of social engineering attack where scammers use phone calls or voice messages to deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal identification details. Attackers often impersonate legitimate organizations, such as banks or government agencies, and create a sense of urgency to trick victims into providing confidential information over the phone.
Spear Phishing: A targeted phishing attack aimed at a specific individual or department.
Malware: Malicious software used to harm systems or networks, often introduced via phishing links or attachments.
Staff and Students Remember...
Step1:
Be vigilant and cautious when opening emails from unknown or suspicious sources.
Report any suspected phishing attempts immediately to Google - this will also notify the SRVUSD IT team.
Do not open or download attachments or click links in suspicious emails.
If you come across a phishing email, it's crucial to take immediate action. IT may require some or all users who received the message to reset their password. You can also reset your password immediately going to https://password.srvusd.net.
Step 2:
- Check your sent folder/outbox. If you see sent messages that you did not send, after resetting your password, submit an IT ticket at https://ithelp.srvusd.net (staff) or https://studentithelp.srvusd.net (students) and let us know your account is being used to send phishing emails to other contacts. We may need to change your settings or even re-image your device to maintain security.
- If you use the same password elsewhere for other non-district accounts, reset those passwords as well.
How Can I tell if its phishing or legitimate?
Below are some commonalities with phishing attempts to look for.
Here is an example of what a Phishing message might look like and the indicators:
1.Spelling errors
2.Check the name of who is sharing it? Do you recognize this person?
3.What email is it coming from? This example is not the correct email where Google sheets/docs is shared from.
4.The accompanying message has a sense of urgency to distract you from other obvious mistakes
5.The URL of the document is not a google URL.
By following these steps, you can effectively identify and report phishing emails using Gmail and take necessary actions to protect your email account and organization from potential security threats. Remember to stay vigilant and report any suspicious emails to ensure the security of your email communications.