Montgomery County recognizes that it has a vital role in identifying, protecting, and responding to cyber threats that may have significant impact on residents’ privacy and our collective security. The Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions (TEBS), provides an environment for cybersecurity education, training, and awareness.
The County is committed to protecting the information of its taxpayers through strong investments in comprehensive cybersecurity systems, by implementing information security policies, and enforcing industry standards and best practices. Maintaining the security of cyberspace is a shared responsibility in which each of us has a critical role to play. As a part of the National Cybersecurity Awareness Campaign — “Do Your Part #BeCyberSmart” — get informed, be cyber-aware, and engage cybersecurity best practices in your daily online transactions at home and at work.
.png)
Scam of the Week
Don't Let Malware Crash Your Party
In this week’s scam, you receive an email invitation that appears to be from Punchbowl, a popular website for sending digital greeting cards and party invites. The email includes an invitation to an event and instructs you to select a link to see more details. It might even include a note suggesting you open it on a laptop or desktop computer for the best experience.
However, this is actually a phishing scam! The email is not really from Punchbowl, and you haven’t actually been invited to anything. If you select the link in the email, it will download malware, or malicious software, onto your device. This software can give cybercriminals control of your device and let them steal your private information!
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this phishing scam:
- Check the sender's email address. If the invite comes from a personal email account or a strange-looking web address, it is not a real Punchbowl invitation.
- Beware of odd requests, like being told to open an invitation on a specific device. Hackers often use these instructions to bypass security and install malware.
- Always use caution if you receive an unexpected email, especially if it instructs you to select a link. If you receive a suspicious email, be sure to report it!
