Showerthought: I just read that over 80% of reported cyber attacks start with a simple email link or attachment.

I found that stat in the latest security report from my company's IT department, and it makes me double-check every single email now, so what's your best tip for spotting a bad one?

3 comments

3 Comments

brooke76712d ago

Ever check the sender's actual email address?

terry67711d ago

Honestly my best tip is to be a little paranoid, which is easy for me since I once clicked a link for "free pizza" that was definitely not from the company cafeteria. Look for weird grammar and a sense of urgency, like they're trying to rush you into clicking before you think. If the email is from "PayPai" or "Micros0ft support," that's a pretty good clue too.

sullivan.spencer11d ago

Check the full email header, not just the display name. Scammers will spoof a name like "IT Department" but the actual address is a random Gmail. Hover over any link before you click. If it says "secure-login.paypal.com" but the link goes to "paypa1-login.ru", that's a huge red flag. Also, real companies won't ask for your password or to "verify your account" out of the blue. If something feels off, it probably is. Forward it to your security team.