Handling Phishing Emails

This article describes how to handle phishing emails reported by staff, including identifying, quarantining, and preventing future phishing attempts.

Question/Issue

What steps should be taken when a staff member reports a suspicious email requesting confidential information?

Cause

Phishing emails are designed to trick users into revealing sensitive data or credentials.

Resolution

1. Do not click any links or download attachments from the suspicious email.
2. Quarantine the email using your organization’s email security tools.
3. Update spam filters to block similar messages in the future.
4. Notify all staff about the phishing attempt and provide examples of what to look for.
5. Offer or require phishing awareness training for staff.
6. If any information was disclosed, follow your organization’s incident response plan.