As any type of fraud, phishing can be extremely damaging and has already claimed victims on campus. Use these pages to find out more about phishing - what it is and what risks it poses. Don't get hooked! Learn how to protect yourself against phishing scams and identity theft. Show
What is Phishing?Phishing refers to different types of online scams that ‘phish’ for your personal and financial information (e.g., your passwords, Social Security Number, bank account information, credit card numbers, or other personal information). These messages claim to come from a legitimate source: a well-known software company, online payment service, bank, or other reputable institution. Some will use an organization's email address, logo, and other trademarks to fake authenticity. Phishing messages may also appear to be from a trusted friend or colleague. See below for details on phishing attacks at UMass Amherst. Phishing messages can come from a growing number of sources, including:
What is spear phishing? More sophisticated attacks, known as spear phishing, are personalized messages from scammers posing as people or institutions that you trust. They often collect identifiable information about you from social media or the compromised account of someone you know to make their messages more convincing. Never transmit sensitive information over email or social media, even if the message requesting information appears to be legitimate. Signs of phishing include:
For more information, see the FTC's page about Phishing. What are the Risks?Don’t be fooled! These are fraudulent communications that in most cases have nothing to do with the institution they claim to be affiliated with. Opening, replying, or clicking the links provided in these emails poses a serious security risk to you and the campus network. Some of the risks involved are:
Phishing Attacks at UMass AmherstMembers of the university community may have received more targeted phishing emails, asking specifically for their IT Account NetID and/or password. These fraudulent emails claim to be official university communications (or otherwise originate from a legitimate office on campus). Most will ask you to ‘immediately update’ your personal information or face serious consequences. Don’t be fooled! These emails do not come from UMass Amherst IT/UMass Amherst. They are fraudulent messages attempting to compromise your personal information. UMass Amherst IT will never ask for your IT Account password or other sensitive information via email or link. Note: UMass Amherst IT uses sophisticated email filtering software to automatically detect and block SPAM, phishing, malware, etc. To help mitigate risks, the filtering software and IT staff may take action including blocking or removing these types of emails. The email filtering software is not foolproof and some unwanted messages may get through. It is critical that you learn to identify phishing scams, take the appropriate steps to protect your computer and your information, and report messages to IT. Visit this page for instructions on how to report phishing messages to UMass Amherst IT. What specific type of phishing attack uses the telephone to target a victim quizlet?Vishing/voice phishing
Vishing is a form of targeted social engineering attack that uses the phone. Types of vishing attacks include recorded messages telling recipients their bank accounts have been compromised.
What specific type of phishing attack uses the telephone to target a victim?Smishing involves criminals sending text messages (the content of which is much the same as with email phishing), and vishing involves a telephone conversation.
What type of attack begins with the attacker creating digest of common dictionary words and then comparing those in a stolen password?These are known as dictionary attacks. Dictionary attacks are the most basic tool in brute force attacks. While not necessarily being brute force attacks in themselves, these are often used as an important component for password cracking.
Which of the following is described as an attacker who pretends to be from a legitimate research firm who ask for personal information?Phishing attacks use email or malicious websites to solicit personal information by posing as a trustworthy organization. For example, an attacker may send email seemingly from a reputable credit card company or financial institution that requests account information, often suggesting that there is a problem.
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