IT warning: Beware of continuing 'spoof' e-mails
By Alex Morones
Technical Writer and Editor, Information Technology
(July 11, 2005)--The UTSA Office of Information Technology (OIT) has issued a new warning about "spoof" e-mail messages that appear to come from UTSA technology services.
The latest round of spoof messages, which warn that e-mail accounts are "expiring," come with attachments that contained computer viruses. The virus attachments, however, were caught by the UTSA anti-virus software and replaced with a text message.
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RSS FeedsA more urgent problem with some of the spoof e-mail messages is that they ask you to click on a link to a Web site to "confirm" your account. Clicking on this link will take you to a Web site that may automatically download malicious software onto your PC.
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How to spot a 'spoof' e-mail message
- Appears to be sent from an address other than Network Services (for example, admin@utsa.edu, info@utsa.edu, support@utsa.edu or webmaster@utsa.edu)
- Contains obviously misspelled words or poor grammar
- Asks you to provide personally identifiable information such as user ID or password (Note: UTSA network technicians will never ask you to provide your password over the phone or via e-mail.)
- Asks you to click on a link or attachment to provide information
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If you receive a suspicious e-mail message, delete it or contact the OIT Help Desk at (210) 458-5538.
For more information on information security issues, contact Annette Evans, UTSA director of strategic planning and information security, at (210) 458-5899.