You will currently note subjects that look like:

Mail Quota Exceeded!!!
Verify Your E-Mail Account Soon!
Verify Your E-Mail Account to Prevent Deletion

although future attacks could prey on other services/facilities.

Since we're all in the online campus directory, expect more on the way from other more "authoritative" people.

Remember, the CAT and OIT **never** ask for passwords via e-mail.

Also, be aware of the consequences of responding to the scammer. They are using compromised accounts on our systems to send out more spam to other places. Since it is coming from a legitimate site (us!), it usually gets through most spam blockers. This results in PSU's mail servers getting blacklisted all over the net which then prevents all our users from sending e-mail to various destinations until we can get ourselves de-listed. This can take days and sometimes weeks. As we are entering finals week, you can see the chaos that can be created.

If you have sent out your information to a spear phish attempt, let us know immediately and change your password.
(And no, we do not want to know what it is!)

If you have any questions about this, contact us at the usual place:

support at cat.pdx.edu

Janaka Jayawardena
Associate CIO - Technology
Office of Information Technologies