Cybersecurity

Phishing

How to report phishing in Gmail: 
With the message open, click More (the three vertical dots next to Reply) and select Report phishing. These reports go directly to the Office of Information Technology security team, allowing them to investigate immediately and block malicious emails and links.

Tips to identify phishing:

• Verification — Always verify requests for sensitive information or actions before responding.
• Check sender details — Carefully inspect the sender’s email address and domain to identify discrepancies or variations.
• Do not share personal information — Avoid sharing personal or sensitive information through email or chat, especially if it’s requested unexpectedly.
• Avoid clicking links — Hover over links to preview a web address before clicking, especially if they appear unusual or unexpected. Type web addresses directly into the browser for critical websites rather than clicking on links.
• Caution with attachments — Never download, install, or open attachments from unknown or suspicious senders.
• Urgent requests — Be cautious of messages that create a sense of urgency or pressure to take immediate action.
• Watch out for fraudulent MFA notifications — If you receive an unexpected MFA notification, it’s most likely a phishing attempt.

Protect data

• Connect securely — Connect to the university network through secure channels, such as Boise State VPN, when accessing data remotely.
• Report incidents — Promptly report any suspected data breaches or security incidents to the Help Desk at (208) 426-4357 or helpdesk@boisestate.edu.
• Data use guidelines — Learn how to use university data appropriately, including when using AI tools.
• Share files securely — Use secure and approved methods for sharing university files and documents.
• Physical security — Keep personal documents, identification, and sensitive materials in secure locations.
• Data disposal — Follow proper data disposal procedures, including shredding physical documents and securely erasing electronic storage media.
• Data classification — Understand the classification of university data and handle it accordingly.
• Secure printing — Ensure that printed university documents containing sensitive information are collected promptly and securely.

Passwords and MFA

• Never share — Do not give your passwords out to others.
• Use a passphrase — Consider thinking of sequences of words that are memorable to you, but hard for others to guess, when setting your password.
• Avoid personal information — Don’t use easily obtainable information, such as name, birthdate, or family names, in your passwords.
• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) — Enable MFA whenever possible for added security. Use a secondary method (such as a passkey, app, or security key) to verify your identity when logging in. Boise State uses Microsoft Entra for MFA.