Dear Kent State University Community Members:
As we begin a new academic year, the Division of Information Services would like to remind everyone about the importance of protecting your Kent State email and FlashLine accounts. As you know, your FlashLine username and password are your keys to everything Kent State, and as such, it is of utmost importance that you ensure the security of this account by watching for email scams and phishing attempts.
Phishing is a fraudulent process used by scammers to acquire your sensitive information. Phishing attempts through email are designed to entice you to give away your FlashLine username and password. Phishing emails will have wording that makes it appear that you will lose something (file storage, email access, etc.) if you don't do what the email asks of you. You will usually be asked to click on a link and the resulting website will ask you to log in with your FlashLine username and password. The link may even go to a page that looks exactly like a typical Kent State login page or has the university logo on it.
Watch for these commonly used phishing tactics:
- Requests for your username and password. Kent State will never ask for your FlashLine username and password in an email or phone call.
- Threats that you will lose something (cutting off a service, suspending an account, etc.) if you don't act in a timely manner. The goal of cybercriminals is to make the situation seem dire so that the victim feels obligated to provide personal information.
- Notification that your computer or device is infected and/or broken. Nonsolicited information regarding the stability of your computer should not be trusted.
- Incorrect grammar and/or spelling. Cybercriminals use this as a tactic to bypass spam filters.
- A link that will solve your problem. If you are asked to click a link in a suspicious email, DO NOT click it.
Remember – when you suspect an email is a phishing scam, report it to phish@kent.edu.
Kent State’s Office of Security and Access Management has additional resources available on SecureIT.kent.edu, including a phishing archive of past messages reported and tips for securing your account and data if you suspect they have been compromised. Our staff are available at 330-672-5566, via email at security@kent.edu or you can tweet us at @KSUTechHelp.
We wish everyone a safe and secure semester start.
Coleen Santee Interim Vice President, Information Services and CIO