Be Cautious of Impersonation Phishing Attacks
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 9, 2021) — University of Kentucky Information Technology Services (ITS) would like to inform all students, faculty and staff of an increase in phishing and impersonation emails coming to UK inboxes. These emails typically come from an external email address, using the name of a UK faculty or staff.
ITS asks that you use caution when replying to any messages that appear to be from someone at UK with an external sender tag. Any official communications from a UK email account will not have the "Caution: External Sender" banner.
If you receive similar attacks in your inbox it is important to report them immediately. Both Microsoft and Google have sophisticated tools for reporting phishing and junk mail. In Microsoft Outlook, the “Report Message” button allows you to report emails as either “Junk” or “Phishing.” Google has a similar way to report phishing and spam within Gmail. Reporting this way helps all of us at UK by providing both Microsoft and Google with information that can power their email filters. Smarter email filters mean there is a less likely chance for you to get similar phishing or junk mail again in the future. Detailed instructions on how to report unwanted email in Outlook or Gmail can be found in "How do I report spam and phishing emails?" from the Tech Help Center at http://techhelpcenter.uky.edu.
ITS appreciates the campus community's cooperation in reporting phishing and junk mail appropriately in order to keep the UK family safe from attacks. These reports continue to make inboxes safer at UK and continue to help ITS be proactive against the ever-evolving threats to cybersecurity at UK.
For 24/7 immediate assistance, please contact ITS Customer Services at 859-218-HELP (4357) or visit the Tech Help Center at http://techhelpcenter.uky.edu. For assistance with non-urgent matters, email 218help@uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.