Despite ongoing awareness efforts, attackers continue to find new ways to reach people. A recent method we’re seeing at Yale involves shared documents.
You may receive a legitimate email from Google or Microsoft saying that someone has shared a document with you. The “someone” could be either internal or external to Yale. The email is real, but the document is malicious. It may contain links that prompt you to enter your Yale credentials. The documents can look convincing, often citing academic or research topics, but bad actors design these to steal your information.
Do not implicitly trust shared documents; be skeptical.
Click with caution, especially if:
- You receive an unexpected message. Question why someone shared this document with you, even if you know the sender or it’s internal to Yale. Especially if there’s a link inside that requires additional authentication.
- The “someone” is a name you don’t recognize. Ask yourself, "Why is someone sharing this document with me?"
- The message feels off. It may feel urgent or suspicious in some way.
If something seems odd, don’t click or respond. Instead, use a trusted method to verify. For example, call the sender on the telephone or use Teams to verify that the person intended to share information with you. Alternatively, report the message to Information Security.
What you can do right now:
- "Bee SAFE, not sorry." If you receive something that feels suspicious, report the incident so our team can take a closer look.
- Review our Recognize, Relax, Rethink model as a reminder for how to respond to unexpected messages.
- Sharpen your ability to spot malicious messages by completing our Click with Caution training module.
Cybersecurity threats continue to evolve. Staying alert to messages about shared documents is a simple way to protect yourself and Yale.
Be on the lookout for these types of emails with your personal accounts, too.
Ready to learn more?
- Our New Year, New You: Back to Basics challenge is underway. Visit the webpage for helpful resources and upcoming events, including our lightning chats.
- Looking for ongoing inspiration about cybersecurity and staying safe online? Join The Hive, our Teams channel for the Yale community. You’ll connect with fellow Yale colleagues who are passionate about outsmarting cybercriminals.