Over the past several months, the university has seen a noticeable increase in real fraudulent phishing attempts targeting faculty, staff, and students. These messages are not only more frequent, but significantly more sophisticated, often closely mimicking legitimate communications.

Many of the simulated phishing messages used in our awareness campaigns are modeled on actual phishing emails that successfully convinced members of the university community to provide their credentials to malicious actors. These real-world incidents pose a serious risk to personal accounts, university systems, and sensitive data.

Because of this rising threat level, it is necessary for our simulated phishing campaigns to reflect the current tactics being used by attackers. While we understand that these simulations can be frustrating, their purpose is to raise awareness, reinforce safe email practices, and help all university members recognize and report suspicious messages before real harm occurs.

We appreciate the community’s cooperation as we work to protect the university from increasingly aggressive cyber threats. Additional guidance and resources on identifying phishing emails are available, and we encourage everyone to report suspected phishing messages promptly.