How to detect spam or phishing emails?
There are obvious unwanted advertising emails, it is easy to decide they are spam even at first sight. These are usually not dangerous, in most cases they are only trying to sell an unnecessary service or a useless product.
The phishing emails are more dangerous than these, which deceptively disguise themselves as bank, PayPal or other emails, trying to persuade the recipients to click on the link in the email, or to open or run the attached file. The opened file or the running program already contains a virus or spyware, or the link may point to malicious content.
The purpose of these emails is:
• phishing email, which is used to try to obtain our data or password;
• email containing a virus or a link directs to it, with which they try to infect our computer;
• email containing a virus or a link directs to it, in an attempt to encrypt our data files and later claim a ransom to decryption;
• etc.
However, the mail server tries to filter out this kind of emails, but it is not always able to correctly identify malicious content. How can the users recognize these? Which emails can be suspicious?
• It comes from an unknown sender or on behalf of a company, which we are not connected to.
• The company or the sender is known, but the email has an unusual wording or form.
• General addressing or no address at all.
• Email contains a lot of spelling mistakes or strange language, so it is possible that it was made by a machine translation program.
• Email which definitely wants to make you click on the link or launch a program.
• Email requires personal information.
Recently these are the most common cases:
• Email disguised as Telekom, Vodafone bills.
• Email in PayPal, Apple format, about a certain security case and asks to confirm and provide our data.
• Emails resembling various bank emails.
What to do:
• An attached file can be forwarded to , the subject should be replaced by the word “scan” and the system will send the result after the scanning.
• You should check if the link really directs to the same place as the text does. Usually, if you hover the mouse cursor over the link, the actual URL will appear after 3-5 seconds. It is best to not use the link at all, but to store the pages you used in your browser favorites and from there to select the page or simply enter its title manually.
• Do not believe anything at first!
We are at your disposal for any questions.