Which is a common phishing red flag?

Which is a common phishing red flag?

• A. A calendar invite from a trusted domain
• B. Urgent request to click a link from an unfamiliar sender
• C. An email from a known colleague requesting routine information
• D. A password-protected zip file from IT

Answer: (B)

Phishing red flags often hinge on urgency and unfamiliar senders. An urgent request to click a link from someone you don’t recognize is a classic tactic: it pressure-tests your caution and can lead you to a fake login page or malware. The sense of immediacy tricks you into acting before you can assess the message safely. The other scenarios can be legitimate in real life—for example, a calendar invite from a trusted domain might be genuine, a known colleague asking for routine information could be normal, and a password-protected zip file from IT can be a legitimate secure attachment. Still, it’s always wise to verify anything that feels off, but the screenshot of urgency from an unknown sender is the strongest, most common phishing warning.

Phishing red flags often hinge on urgency and unfamiliar senders. An urgent request to click a link from someone you don’t recognize is a classic tactic: it pressure-tests your caution and can lead you to a fake login page or malware. The sense of immediacy tricks you into acting before you can assess the message safely.

The other scenarios can be legitimate in real life—for example, a calendar invite from a trusted domain might be genuine, a known colleague asking for routine information could be normal, and a password-protected zip file from IT can be a legitimate secure attachment. Still, it’s always wise to verify anything that feels off, but the screenshot of urgency from an unknown sender is the strongest, most common phishing warning.