University of Kwazulu-Natal

Think Before You Click

Bonisiwe Shabane
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think before you click

Cybersecurity incidents rarely begin with highly sophisticated attacks. More often, they originate from something far more routine: a simple click. In fact, 90% of all cyberattacks start with a phishing email. This carelessness may result in disclosing internal networks, stealing essential data, and damaging the finances of the companies and their reputation, which could be just caused by one click through a bad link or... So what can organizations do to address this deceptively small but profoundly risky behavior? Building a strong digital mindfulness practice among people is the answer.

Think before you click, which should become a habit across different teams, processes, and policies. In modern times, things like misspelled words and questionable links are not always signs of phishing and social engineering. Now, cybercriminals can create messages that are meant for one target, which makes them easy to miss by typical security filters. The result is a threat landscape where even the most vigilant teams can be caught off guard. Many enterprises with lots of exchanged emails often overlook these simple attacks. Infosec Boot Camps offer live, instructor-led cybersecurity and IT certification training in-person or online.

Infosec Self-Paced Training accommodates your schedule with instructor-guided, on-demand training. The Infosec Intensive Cybersecurity Training program kickstarts cybersecurity careers in as little as 26 weeks with tailored training. Infosec Skills provides on-demand cybersecurity training mapped to skill or role paths for any level. Advance your team's cybersecurity skills with our customizable, industry-recognized programs and take advantage of our team training discounts. That little click seems so small, but it can cause big problems. Every day, people click links that steal their info, share posts they later feel bad about, or buy things they don’t need.

A few smart habits can stop most of these problems before they start. This guide shares 15 catchy slogans that help teach the “think before you click” idea. Let’s look at these slogans that can help keep you, your family, and your friends safer online. Cybercriminals are relentless in their efforts to scam people out of their money. One of the most commonly used methods is “phishing,” defined by the FBI as “scams designed to trick you into giving information to criminals that they shouldn’t have access to.” In other words, they’re... Why is it such a popular scam?

Perhaps because it’s working. In the FBI’s most recent Internet Crime Report, phishing was one of the three most common kinds of cybercrime in 2024. In total, the FBI says victims lost more than $16 billion to cybercrime in 2024 – a 33 percent increase over the prior year. Scammers aren’t going anywhere – so it’s up to all of us to become even more vigilant about recognizing and avoiding phishing scams. To that end, we’ve compiled six of the most common “red flags” to be on the lookout for in text messages, emails, and online webpages, according to the CISA.gov and FTC.gov. These are all signals that you should not click on any links provided:

In short: think before you click! It can be the difference between keeping your financial information safe or handing it over to a scammer. Discover the range of PCI Security Standards and where to find additional resources. Verify or search for a PCI Qualified Professional. Select the qualification that best suits your needs. Locate approved devices and payment solutions for use at the point of sale, and point-to-point encryption solutions to protect cardholder data.

Learn more about PCI SSC’s Training & Qualification programs, class schedules, registration information, corporate group training and knowledge training. Attend PCI SSC upcoming Community Meetings, programs, webcasts, and industry events where we are speaking. Phishing is an attempt to steal personal information using a fraudulent email asking for information such as username, password, social security number, or birth date. The email generally looks authentic and appears to come from E.M.U. or another reputable organization. The message contained in the email often includes a link to an official looking website and asks the reader to log in with their my.emich (or other) credentials.

Spear Phishing goes a step further by targeting you specifically. The cyber-criminal researches information about you that they have obtained from a public forum (e.g. LinkedIn or Facebook, etc.), and uses it to customize an email to you. This way, you are more likely to fall victim. Phishing can result in losses to both you and the University. On a personal level, phishing can steal your identity resulting in financial theft and damage to your reputation.

In most cases, accounts are used to generate massive amounts of SPAM. As a result, I.T. has to lock the individual accounts and contact email providers who were rejecting all email form Eastern Michigan University. Phishing messages also tend to have general characteristics that should alert you, including:

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