Dealing with suspicious emails How do I behave correctly?
Attacks against IT systems are expected to continue in 2020. Last year, a new, malicious threat emerged in the form of "Emotet", which has already continued this year.
We would like to appeal to you to act with caution when receiving suspicious emails. If you receive an e-mail that seems suspicious, the first thing to do is to "keep calm". We recommend the following procedure:
- Do you know the sender? Call him/her and find out whether he/she has sent the e-mail to you. Inquire about the content of the e-mail and any attached files.
- If the sender confirms that the e-mail has been sent, you can open the e-mail and any attachments.
- If the sender denies sending the e-mail, you should not open it.
- Please call the Service Desk on 55555 and the S-Desk staff will explain the next steps to you in a personal conversation. Please do not send the suspicious e-mail to the S-Desk without talking to them.
- If the sender is not known, check the subject and the institution from which the e-mail was sent to see if you are a plausible recipient.
- If both the subject and the sender do not indicate a plausible receipt, you can delete the e-mail without reading it.
- If the e-mail you have received seems plausible, just open the e-mail and check the sender's signature first. A telephone call can also quickly clarify the situation.
- If you still have doubts, please contact the S-Desk (55555).
According to current knowledge, it can be assumed that "Emotet" is initially trying to direct you to malicious websites. This often happens with prepared links. You should therefore check links carefully before clicking on them! Nevertheless, you should also keep a careful eye on e-mail attachments and open them with caution, as "Emotet" is not the only threat.
Further information can be found here:
