Phishing emails are a major threat in today’s world, and it is getting worse. KnowBe4, a service that trains users to recognize and avoid phishing emails, compiled a list of the “Top 10 Global Phishing Email Subject Lines for Q1 2018,” and I would like to share them with you.
Hackers will do whatever it takes to get you to open their emails, and they use psychology to pique your interest. KnowBe4’s chief evangelist and strategy officer states that “what works is manipulating the human’s psyche to make them feel curious, important, or even scared.”
The Top 10 Global Phishing Email Subject Lines for Q1 2018 are:
- A Delivery Attempt Was Made
- Change of Password Required Immediately
- W-2
- Company Policy Update for Fraternization
- UPS Label Delivery 1ZBE3112TNY00015011
- Revised Vacation and Time Policy
- Staff Review 2017
- Urgent Press Release to All Staff
- Deactivation of (email) in Process
- Please Read: Important From HR
Each of these subject lines has the power to reach the reader on a personal level. If you open an email, it is your responsibility to determine whether the email is legitimate or not. If you are unsure, do not click any links or provide any information, and forward the email on to your IT expert immediately.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you suspect malicious emails:
When dealing with potentially bogus delivery attempts, make sure you can confirm the order information displayed in the email. Another trick to testing links is to hover over them (NOT click…hover) to see the URL extension. If the email looks like it’s from FedEx, but the URL says something like “FunnyCarGuys.xyz,” you definitely have a bad email.
If you have any suspicions about an email, it is best to heed on the side of caution.
Kevin Jackman
Growing up in Long Island, New York, Kevin ventured to the Florida Institute of Technology to begin his college career. While attending school, Kevin created and managed his own website that helped college students raise their GPAs and do better academically. Enthralled with technology, Kevin has found his home with the team at Network 1.
kjackman@network1consulting.com or 404.997.7654
Network 1 Consulting is a 20-year-old IT support company in Atlanta, GA. We become – or augment – the IT department for law firms and medical practices. Our IT experts can fix computers, but what our clients value most are the industry-specific best practices we bring to their firms. This is especially important with technology, along with regulations and cyber threats, changing so rapidly. We take a proactive approach to helping our clients use technology to gain and keep their competitive advantage.
