Teams with red arrow need to familiarize
yourself with phishing attacks.
What is phishing?
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Phishing is the act of pretending to be someone/something to get
information, in most cases, this is usually a password.
Attackers may send links or attachments designed to infect the
recipient's system with malicious software or lure them into providing
financial information, system credentials or other sensitive data.
Successful phishing attempts can cost companies like Mastercard
millions of dollars and put our employees at risk. So it’s very important
that we keep the business and our staff safe from harm.
Learn to spot phishing emails
Suspicious looking
source email
address.
There is a typo in
the email address.
You can also see
that it is coming
from gmail, not a
Mastercard email.
The subject line says
URGENT!
12 Step on how do we stop getting phished
1. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Communications: Whether it's an email, text
message, or phone call, be cautious when you're contacted unexpectedly,
especially if it's asking for personal information or urgent action.
2. Verify the Sender's Identity: Check the sender's email address or
phone number. Phishers often use email addresses that mimic
legitimate ones but may have small variations or misspellings.
3. Think Before Clicking: Hover over links before clicking them to see
the actual URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the supposed
sender, avoid clicking.
4. Watch out for Urgent or Threatening Language: Phishing emails
often create a sense of urgency or fear to prompt immediate action.
Be wary of messages that threaten dire consequences if you don't act
quickly.
5. Avoid Sharing Personal Information: Legitimate organizations
won’t ask for sensitive information like passwords, credit card
numbers, or social security numbers via email or text.
6. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enable MFA wherever
possible. This adds an extra layer of security even if your password gets
compromised.
7. Update Security Software Regularly: Keep your antivirus, antimalware, and firewall software up-to-date to help protect against known
phishing threats.
8. Educate Yourself and Others: Stay informed about the latest phishing
tactics and share this information with friends, family, and colleagues to
raise awareness.
9. Use Strong Passwords: Create unique, complex passwords for different
accounts and consider using a password manager to keep track of them
securely.
10. Report Suspected Phishing Attempts: If you suspect an email or
communication is a phishing attempt, report it to the appropriate
authorities or the organization being impersonated
11. Look for Spelling and Grammar Mistakes: Many phishing
attempts contain spelling or grammar errors. Legitimate communications
from reputable organizations typically undergo professional
proofreading.
12. Verify Requests for Financial Transactions: If you receive an
unexpected request for a financial transaction or change in payment
details, verify it directly with the organization through a trusted contact
method.
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Think Before Clicking: Hover over links before clicking them to see the actual URL. If it
looks suspicious or doesn’t match the supposed sender, avoid clicking.
Watch out for Urgent or Threatening Language: Phishing emails often create a sense
of urgency or fear to prompt immediate action. Be wary of messages that threaten dire
consequences if you don't act quickly.
Avoid Sharing Personal Information: Legitimate organizations won’t ask for sensitive
information like passwords, credit card numbers, or social security numbers via email or
text.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Enable MFA wherever possible. This adds an
extra layer of security even if your password gets compromised.
Update Security Software Regularly: Keep your antivirus, anti-malware, and firewall
software up-to-date to help protect against known phishing threats.
Educate Yourself and Others: Stay informed about the latest phishing tactics and share
this information with friends, family, and colleagues to raise awareness.
Use Strong Passwords: Create unique, complex passwords for different accounts and