Amid an increasingly technology-based work environment, an illegal industry aid to steal personal information was born. In an effort to raise awareness of the new challenge, Cyber Security Awareness Month is celebrated every October.
Today SF State students face a threat known as phishing scams. Most scams are email-based and Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer of ITS Nish Malik, believes that phishing scams are the most significant issues facing SF State students and other CSUs.
“It’s prevalent both in public and private enterprises, so it’s something we have to learn to deal with,” Malik said.
Phishing scams often appear legitimate because they mimic a genuine message from someone familiar or from a legitimate email address. Phishing messages may contain links that navigate users to fake web pages.
“Phishing is trying to get your account and password,” Malik said. “Once they have your account and password, they’re hoping for your level-one data, credit card information, Social Security, your checking account, whatever that might be. And maybe your other financial aid matters that we may not be privy to, like loans and things like that.”
Senior Director of the Cloud and Systems Services Dimitry Vayntrub said that phishing is an enterprise because hackers spend money to make money.
“Officially the cheapest one, [phishing] costs almost nothing,” Vayntrub said. “For the high volume, phishing is the one anyone can do in a…
