The Email That Got Me It was a Tuesday morning like any other, with coffee in hand, to-do list ready and a fresh batch of emails to sort through. As a long-time cybersecurity professional, I like to think I’m savvy about spotting suspicious messages. I’ve written about phishing, warned others, passed dozens of phishing tests, completed security awareness training and even helped design campaigns. But that morning? That morning, I clicked. It wasn’t flashy. No Nigerian prince. No lottery winnings. Just a simple, well-crafted email with the subject line: “Executive/HR Meeting Report.” The message contained a link to a document from my manager — a typical red flag. However, I had just completed my annual review, and my manager was going to send compensation notes along with a final document for me to sign. I was eagerly awaiting that email. The timing couldn’t have been better — or worse. In my haste, I didn’t scrutinize as closely as I should have. The sense of importance, paired with familiarity, made it feel legitimate. Click. Bam! A splash screen: “Oops! You clicked on a simulated phishing test!” Cue the facepalm. The Aftermath I shook my head. I groaned. I may have said, “Well played, security team.” Mostly, I was just surprised. How did I fall for that? Phishing isn’t always obvious anymore. Today’s attacks are subtle, familiar and timed to catch you off guard. The answer is simple: I was moving too fast and didn’t follow the Golden Rule of email — treat every email as if it’s a phishing attempt. The Golden Rule in Action Phishing isn’t always obvious anymore. Today’s attacks are subtle, familiar and timed to catch you off guard. This email looked like it came from my manager. It referred to a document I was expecting. It had just enough familiarity to override my better judgment. The Golden Rule encourages us to slow down and ask: • Who is this really from? • What are they asking me to do? • Why am I getting this now? • Does this make sense? If I had paused to hover over the link or double-check the sender, I’d have seen the red flags. But I didn’t. Here’s the breakdown of this scenario: • Who is this really from? The sender’s address didn’t exactly match my manager’s or HR department’s usual address. • What are they asking me to do? They wanted me to open and review a document. I was expecting one, just not in this delivery method. • Why am I getting this now? I was expecting a document when the phishing email was sent, which made it feel legitimate. • Does this make sense? This is where I tripped up. I should have put the first two red flags together and realized that, while I was expecting a document, it wouldn’t be sent in this format. Even the tiniest lapse — a split second of inattention — could spell major trouble. One careless click could expose sensitive data, trigger a costly breach and affect everyone relying on our systems. I’m genuinely grateful this was a test, not a real attack. It’s a wake-up call and a timely reminder that vigilance isn’t optional. It’s essential. 15 NEBRASKA BANKER
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