Ball State has seen a dramatic increase in email phishing scams. In fact, over a 30-day period, around 30,000 emails were sent trying to deliver malware, harvest user credentials, or scam the university. At the end of the day, nearly 75% of all emails sent to Ball State users are unwanted junk or even malicious. As this is an evident and obvious problem, IT is here to make a stand against email phishing.
Over Spring Break, IT rolled out a new solution to better block these emails called Proofpoint. Compared to the previous filtering that was being done, the new solution is around 80% more effective at blocking malicious emails. Through this system, “bad” emails are sent to be “quarantined” in a separate place than a user’s “junk mail,” or simply sitting in their inbox.
This cybersecurity software is not only more effective but also allows users to visit their quarantined emails. The new solution offers users the ability to release their own quarantined emails and, if they want, add those senders to their “allow list” to keep them from being quarantined in the future. This creates a unique system that can be personalized for each user.
While this system is much more accurate and advanced than previous solutions, malicious emails can still find their way into the inboxes of Ball State users. That’s where you, and every other Ball State email user, come in. Look carefully at emails you receive and be wary of possible malicious intent.
Hallmarks of suspicious emails include:
- Language that instills a sense of urgency.
- Links to pages asking for your username and password that are NOT bsu.edu addresses.
- Requests for your personal email address or phone number.
- Requests to purchase cryptocurrency or gift cards.
- Threatening language from someone claiming they have evidence of you doing something bad, and requests for money to keep it quiet.
If you receive an email that you believe is malicious, or if you receive something you’re not sure about, please reach out to the Office of Information Security via email at oiss@bsu.edu, or the HelpDesk by calling 765-285-1517 or visiting https://www.bsu.edu/helpdesk for assistance.