Spam gets through.

It is a fact of life.

We are no exception.

If anything we are more of a target than yourselves, as be it Salesmen, Accountants, Network or Systems Engineers – they are likely to have access to some resources that would be both ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ to your average, and your not-so-average n’er-do-well.

Stick with me – here is a 60 second tale of every day woe.
Here we have an example that has made its way through to the ticket system we use to manage your questions and queries.

Have a good look at this ^above^.

Looks pretty legit – or could be – if you were in a hurry – swatting away that reminder for training, the phone is ringing, you are yet to wake up, not fully caffeinated – you know the story. It happens.

Sure – our mail platform doesn’t send out emails that looks like that. Not ever. The postmaster comes over and has a word in your shell-like and applies the ‘bat of learning‘ – however here is how this works.

The LINK in that looks legitimate, plausible, and generally kosher as fabulously arrowed with the (1) here.

However hovering over the link, I draw your attention to where the browser will take me when that hyperlink is clicked on.

Oh, oh dear – that is not somewhere we want to be going. No.

Otherwise – that is plausible.

This ladies and gentlemen is Phishing.

They have some information and they are after more.

The only thing more terrifying that Phishing is Vishing (using voice) where you don’t have the option to hover over a phone call to see where it is all going. Up again from this is the longer play, with more specific information and convincing attacks – Spear Phishing. So while the Local H00kups In Your Area are a pain… it is the ones hiding in plain sight we need to be more attentive of.

Take five, check over the mail, does it all check out, and be careful out there.

Hostility is constant – however – in a similar school to aeroplane crashes – the vast majority of email that gets through is great – safest way to travel right?

You may wish to sign or encrypt your emails – for free – so people can place some trust in the emails that you are sending for example?

…and now to lighten the mood…. break out the kittens.