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Phishing Emails

Dear COCC Students,

As we start a new year and term, we continue to observe a dramatic increase in phishing attacks targeting the COCC community. These attacks are using common tactics to gather login information and compromise the accounts of employees, students and other COCC community members.

Please take note of such efforts and protect your security and the security of others. Here are a few tips for spotting and dealing with these phishing attempts: 

    1. If you see something, say something. If you notice an email that seems like it may be a phishing attempt (contains spelling errors, is poorly written, etc.) report it to COCC Office of Information Security immediately by forwarding the email to abuse@cocc.edu.
    2. Look closely at links and URLs provided within emails. Hover your cursor over links in an email to show the URL destination – if you don’t recognize the URL or if it appears suspicious, report the message. 
    3. Watch out for fake login pages. If you are taken to a page that prompts you for your COCC Login credentials, look at the URL in your browser to ensure it appears legitimate. 
    4. Be wary of attachments. Don’t download or open attachments from email senders that you don’t recognize, even if they are from an COCC email address. 
    5. Don’t fall for attempts at false urgency. If an email is asking you to take urgent action, it is often an attempt to get you to click on a malicious link. (Watch for phrases like “Failure to Verify will result in the closing of your account” or “resolve in order to avoid termination within 24 hours”).
    6. Share this information widely and often with your students, teams, and colleagues – We especially need help reinforcing with our students and new employees the importance of being vigilant against phishing attacks. Please share and communicate where and when you can.        

If you have questions or concerns, contact Information Security. Click here for Tips on recognizing Phishing scams or Click here for recent examples of phishing emails. 

   Sincerely,  

   Ken Harmon, Information Security Manager

   Central Oregon Community College | The Office of Information Security