In a statement, OHSU said it made a ‘mistake’ by using the same language from a real phishing threat to test its employees’ susceptibility to cybersecurity threats.
PORTLAND, Ore. — For some employees at Oregon Health & Science University, an email sent by the university on April 12 offering up to $7,500 in financial assistance may have seemed like a lifeline.
The email read, in part: “In response to the current community hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Oregon Health & Science University has decided to assist all employees in getting through these difficult times.”
It turned out to be a fake phishing test, organized by OHSU to test its employees’ cybersecurity awareness and its own technology systems.
The attempt to educate employees about phishing threats caused frustration, with some saying it was harsh or “tone deaf.”
