Malware attacks against higher education increased by 26% last year. With a reported 191+ million malware attacks in 2022 in the state of Florida alone, cyber-awareness is as important on college campuses as writing skills and advanced math knowledge. Cybercriminals frequently target universities through malware attacks to steal sensitive and restricted data, such as student and employee social security numbers, protected health information, and credit card information. Malware is malicious software or code that steals, encrypts, and/or deletes sensitive information after being introduced to a device through phishing emails, compromised flash drives, fraudulent websites, and peer-2-peer file sharing sites. According to SonicWall, the 10 most common malware file names are:
1. purchase order.exe
2. soa.exe
3. invoice.exe
4. swift copy.exe
5. quotation.exe
6. img-order-confirmation-pdf.exe
7. payment copy.exe
8. ziraat bankasi swift mesaji.exe
9. shipping documents.exe
10. new order.exe
If you receive what you think is a suspicious email or an email with one of these .exe files attached, do NOT open, reply, or click any embedded links or files. Report suspicious emails received in your GatorMail inbox using the phish alert button. Faculty, students, and staff can become better cyber equipped by taking the free training available through the UF Information Security Office.
