Information Security

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month

The Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) is reminding employees to be aware of scams involving bogus emails containing attachments or links. Spam email and phishing, the practice of using fake but realistic-looking websites to fool victims into revealing personal information, can pose threats to USPS^® and its employees.

CIRT offers the following tips to handle these electronic threats:

n Trust your instincts. If an email seems suspicious, delete it without opening it.

n Only open email attachments if you are expecting them and know what they contain. Even if the message looks like it is from someone you know, it could be from scammers and contain programs that will infect your computer or the network.

n Do not click on any links within the email.

n Do not reply or respond to spam or phishing emails in any way, even if it’s to request removal from the originator’s distribution list. Replying can result in more messages.

n Do not click on the unsubscribe URL in an email if you didn’t subscribe to the originator’s distribution list. This lets the sender know your email address is valid.

n Forward suspect messages to abuse@usps.gov.

If you have any questions or need additional information, you can contact the CIRT at 866-877-7247 or by email at uspscirt@usps.gov.

— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Officer, 10-30-14