Don't Let Phishing Spoil Your Day

Brutus Buckeye smiling over a laptop

In today's digital world, phishing scams are a constantly growing threat to individuals and organizations like Ohio State. These deceptive schemes often involve malicious actors crafting emails or text messages that mimic legitimate communications from reputable sources, like banks, credit card companies, or even the university, to steal information. Phishing scams can also lead victims to download harmful software, giving bad actors access to personal and business information held on their device.  

National Computer Security Day, held annually on November 30, is the perfect time for you learn how to recognize and protect yourself from phishing attempts. In the honor of National Computer Security Day, Cybersecurity for You (C4U) encourages you to check out the “Many "Phish" in the Sea” achievement, which offers seven activities to teach you: 

  • To recognize phishing attempts through email and social media messages 

  • How to report suspicious emails to the university’s email security team  

  • The consequences of falling for a phishing scam 

  • Why phishing messages requesting contact at a phone number are on the rise 

  • The differences between phishing, spear-phishing and whaling.  

Completing these activities will earn you points toward digital rewards. Points reset and some content is retired on January 1, so don't miss your chance to complete this achievement! 

C4U is the university’s cybersecurity awareness platform, managed by your colleagues in the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation. The platform offers learning activities and actionable techniques to help users live a safer digital life. Open to all university faculty, staff and students, C4U can be accessed through any mobile device, laptop or desktop computer and new activities are released quarterly.