Subj : The worst security test ever? University slammed over fake Ebola
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Fri Aug 23 2024 06:15:05

The worst security test ever? University slammed over fake Ebola scare as 
phishing test

Date:
Fri, 23 Aug 2024 05:07:00 +0000

Description:
A fake report of an Ebola case was by UCSC sent to trick students

FULL STORY
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A California University has come under fire for sending out a phishing test 
which cautioned all its students about a (false) Ebola outbreak. 

The University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) sent out an email titled  
Emergency Notification: Ebola Virus Case on Campus to all students, which 
understandably caused widespread concern. 

The email, which has since been retracted, warned that a staff member had 
recently returned from South Africa, and had tested positive for the Ebola 
virus. Students were then encouraged to log into an information page for more 
details, which is where the phishing test was revealed. Phishing test gone 
wrong The email sent to UCSC students and faculty (Image credit: Via Reddit 
user Carbinkisgod ) 

The University has since apologized for the inappropriate content of the 
email, which it said was not real and, "inappropriate as it caused 
unnecessary panic, potentially undermining trust in public health messaging." 

"We sincerely apologize for this oversight." 

Rushing a victim into action is a common tactic used in phishing scams , and 
comments made by UCSC students and staff reveal the message did just that. 

I was walking when I got the email and freaked out because it would have been 
a very serious health situation!! Like the last thing on my mind is my online 
security when I think my colleagues might have been exposed to EBOLA. user 
SneakyTurtleGin said on the University's Reddit community. 

Others in the thread were not so moved, calling the test an obvious scam, 
noting the sender email address and the inclusion of a link in the email. 
Despite the signs, many agreed the topic of the test was inappropriate. 

Its important to note South Africa has not had an Ebola case since 1996, and 
there are currently zero reported cases of the disease in the US. 

The University admitted that the nature of the simulation may have 
inadvertently perpetuated harmful information about South Africa  but 
insisted the test was part of attempts to strengthen security. 

Via The Register More from TechRadar Pro Take a look at at the best malware 
removal How a phishing attack impacts an employees mental health Check out 
the best free antivirus protection



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/uni-sent-out-fake-ebola-warning-as-phishing-test


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