The holiday season is a great time to brush up on how to stay safe online and reduce the risk of phishing emails. What are phishing emails? Phishing occurs when criminals try to get us to open harmful links, emails, attachments, or messages that could request our personal information or infect our devices. Phishing messages usually come in the form of an email, text, social media message, or phone call. These messages are often designed to look like they come from a trusted person or organization to prompt a response. Stay safe with these tips from Marin County's Chief Information Security Officer (CISO):

• Play hard to get with strangers. If you’re unsure who an email is from, even if the details appear accurate, do not respond and do not click on any links or attachments found in that email. Pro tip: Be cautious of generic greetings such as “Hello Bank Customer,” as these are often signs of phishing attempts. If you are concerned about the legitimacy of an email, call the company directly.
• Think before you act. Many phishing emails attempt to create a sense of urgency, causing the recipient to fear their account or information is in jeopardy.
• Protect your personal information. If information is published online, such as your full name, job title, and email addresses, you are more vulnerable to a direct spear-phishing attack.
• Be wary of hyperlinks. Avoid clicking on hyperlinks in emails and hover over links to verify authenticity. Pro tip: Ensure that URLs begin with “https.” The “s” indicates encryption is enabled to help protect your information.
• Enhance your login protection. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that the only person who has access to your account is you.
• Use strong passwords. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, you should consider using the longest password or passphrase permissible. 
• Install updates. Make sure all your computers, phones, tablets, and smart devices are equipped with regularly updated protections such as antivirus software and firewalls.

Boston College Information Technology Services also has a great guide on how to avoid holiday scams. For general cybersecurity tips, sign up for Marin County's cyber security newsletter to stay up to date on how to protect yourself against cyberattacks. Also check out tips and information from Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.