What is Phishing?
Phishing is an attempt to acquire personal information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication, typically by email, voice, or text. One of the ways that cyber criminals attack users is to send phishing emails to entice the recipient into providing personal information or to download malware to their machines which can impact the entire Auburn network.
Phishing Exercises and Awareness
In addition to annual cybersecurity training, Auburn University conducts phishing exercises (training) to educate and measure our adherence to safe cybersecurity practices. This training includes sending emails that should be recognized by the users as fraudulent. Learning to recognize phishing attempts and how to report them are goals of the training. The individual results of the training are not shared with management.
Auburn's cybersecurity team has also compiled examples of phishing emails (articles titled "Phish Bait") on the Cybersecurity Center Phish Tank site. You can find more information about cybersecurity and steps you can take to reduce phishing at aub.ie/cybersecurity.
Report Phishing Messages Using the Report Message Button
If you suspect that an email message you have received is phishing, Auburn's cybersecurity team advises to report phishing messages using the "Report Message" button found in Microsoft Outlook.
Note: If you've received a spam or phishing email and you are not using Outlook, you can forward the original email as an attachment to phishing@auburn.edu. Otherwise, the "Report Message" button in Outlook is the preferred method of reporting phishing messages.
Instructions for accessing the "Report Message" or "Report" button in the Outlook desktop app for Windows (Classic and New) and Mac, Outlook on the Web (OWA), and Outlook Mobile can be found by clicking the orange buttons below.
Outlook for Windows (Classic)
In an email in "Classic" Outlook, the "Report Message" button is found on the top selection bar. Click "Report Message" and click "Phishing" to report an email message as phishing.
If you do not see the "Report Message" button, look for a shield icon, as shown below, and click "Report Phishing".
Outlook for Windows (New)
In an email in "New" Outlook, the "Report" button is found on the top selection bar. Click "Report" and click "Report Phishing" to report an email message as phishing.
Outlook for Mac
In an email in Outlook for Mac, the "Report" button is found on the top selection bar. Click "Report" and click "Report Phishing" to report an email message as phishing.
Outlook on the Web (OWA)
In an email in Outlook on the web, the "Report" button is found on the top selection bar. Click "Report" and click "Report Phishing" to report an email message as phishing.
Outlook Mobile App
In an email in Outlook Mobile, tap the three ellipses (...).
Next, tap "Report Message."
Tap "Report as phishing."
If you have any questions regarding the "Report Message" button in Outlook or have concerns regarding a potential phishing email, please contact the IT Service Desk at (334) 844-4944.