October is Cyber Security Awareness Month.
Each week this month, ITS is sharing topics to help the community understand the risks associated with sharing personal and organizational information, and keeping that data secure.
This week’s topic: Smishing.
Smishing, or SMS phishing, is the act of committing text message fraud to try to lure victims into revealing account information or installing malware. Similar to phishing, cybercriminals use smishing, the fraudulent attempt to steal credit card details or other sensitive information, by disguising as a trustworthy organization or reputable person in a text message.
With smishing, cybercriminals use a text message to try to get potential victims to give out personal information. The text message, which typically contains a link to a fake website that looks identical to the legitimate site, asks the recipient to enter personal information. Fake information is often used to make the texts appear to be from a legitimate organization or business.
Smishing has grown in popularity with cybercriminals now that smartphones are widely used, as it enables them to steal sensitive financial and personal information without having to break through the security defenses of a computer or network. Public awareness about phishing, smishing, and other attacks continues to grow, as many incidents are reported on in the news.
So be aware of messages that may appear to be legitimate. Verify the message with the organization. Most will not message you in this format. The pandemic has led to many more actors portraying themselves as medical organizations, government agencies, or financial institutions.
Please contact ITSSecurity@coloradocollege.edu if you have any questions. |
