Malicious Emails: Definitions to Know
Many of us aren’t strangers to malicious emails. If you haven’t been targeted yourself, you have probably read about companies or individuals who have been compromised recently. We thought it would be helpful to understand some terms describing different types of scams.
This might also help you be on the looked and prevent you from opening an email you might otherwise not have noticed anything different about.
Scams: Intentional deceptions made for gain, or to cause damage through email. For example: “You are a winner of a $1,000,000 lottery fund! Click here to claim your reward.”
Spam: Also known as junk email, designed to trick you into thinking their message is worth reading. For example: “Great value medical store!”
Hoax: Warnings about a non-existent threat, or an offer that sounds too good to be true. For example: “Your account will be deactivated in 24 hours unless you confirm your email address and password.”
Phishing: Pronounced “fishing”. Phishing emails try to entice you into disclosing personal information, such as your username, password, or bank account details. For example: “You have been given a tax refund. To help us process your payment, please click here and enter your name, address, phone number and bank details.”
Spoofing: When the sender address of an email has been altered to hide its true origin, used by virus and spam authors to make their emails look legitimate and lure people into clicking on links or downloading attachments. For example: The email looks as if it is from one address but hovering over it reveals a different address.
If you have any additional questions about malicious emails and how to keep yourself or your company protected, feel free to contact the office.
