Phishing Attempts Target US Department of Education Grant Portal

Colleges, or at least former colleges, have themselves been targets of similar attacks in recent years. “Zombie colleges” are now-closed higher education institutions that seem to come back to life when scammers stand up real-looking websites for the shuttered schools. When prospective students visit these sites and try to enroll or request information, the personal details they enter are collected by scammers.  

Combating phishing attempts requires effective user training. Ensuring that faculty and staff can spot suspicious URLs and do not click on links from unknown senders can help prevent credential theft. Conduct regular phishing training and alert faculty, staff, and students about current and ongoing threats. In the event of a breach, having an incident response plan in place is key to a quick recovery.