Summary
This article contains information about the warning bar at the top of external email coming into USNH mailboxes - "CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the University System. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe."
Phishing is a top cybersecurity threat to USNH. Personal information (the primary target of phishing attempts) that falls into the wrong hands can cause a lot of financial and reputational damage to the University System and its employees. Phishing attacks are often launched by including malicious attachments or links in emails. When recipients open these malicious attachments or click on the links, it can spark an attack.
Content
Email originating from outside USNH should be approached cautiously, especially messages with subject matter containing information on job offers, research opportunities, password changes, email quotas, benefits changes, and more. A high percentage of phishing attempts targeted towards the University System often comprise these topics.
To combat phishing and help employees identify potentially fraudulent emails, USNH has activated external email tagging. Messages sent from outside USNH are marked with a yellow Caution box across the top of the email message.
The Caution message does not mean the email is malicious, only that recipients should be careful and vigilant. Do not click on links or open attachments in messages with which you are unfamiliar. All email originating from outside the university, except for approved services, will be tagged with this message.
For additional information on spotting/reporting phishing attempts, visit USNH's Phishbowl website.
Things to know about External Email Tagging
The actual text of the External Email Tag is "CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the University System. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe."
The system makes an effort to match the style of the message, so font of the tag will vary.
External Email Tag is applied to the vast majority of external messages sent to USNH email addresses.
Note: It is possible to get an external message without the External Email Tag if emails are processed in a certain way.
The tag is informational to help clients be cognizant of message origins. The tag does not indicate that a message is unsafe; conversely, a message’s lack of an External Tag does not indicate it is safe.
Further Readings
The Phishbowl
Phishing and Spam
Phishing Awareness from the USNH Cybersecurity office
Outlook: Reporting a Phishing Email with the “Report Message” Button
Need additional help?
Visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request. If you have any questions, you may also contact the Email Services Group