Managing Data Security at Work

Pausing Before Acting

The first step when a suspicious request arrives is to stop. Do not reply, click any links, or share any data before verifying the message. Pausing gives you time to assess the situation rather than react to artificial urgency, which is exactly what bad actors count on you to skip.

Checking Sender and Message Details

Once you pause, examine the sender address, the domain, any links, and any attachments. A domain that does not match your company's is a clear warning sign. The same careful attention you bring to managing files and documents at work applies here: details matter.

Recognizing Pressure Tactics

Urgency is one of the most common manipulation tactics in suspicious requests. A message that demands immediate action tries to override your judgment before you can think critically. Knowing that urgency is often manufactured, rather than real, helps you treat it as a red flag rather than a reason to comply quickly.

Reporting Through Approved Channels

After identifying a suspicious message, contact IT using an internal, approved channel rather than responding to the suspect email itself. This keeps the incident on record and lets IT act quickly. Taking this step reflects accountability and reliability at work and protects colleagues who might receive the same message.

Acting Only After Confirmation

You delete the email and follow any additional IT guidance only after IT investigates and clears you to proceed. Acting prematurely, even with good intentions, can complicate the investigation. Completing the process as IT directs is part of professional conduct and ensures nothing is left unresolved.

Clara is an operations specialist who works with customer records. An urgent email appears in her inbox. The message claims to be from IT Support and requests immediate access to customer data. Clara follows four steps to confirm whether the request is genuine or suspicious. She pauses, checks, reports, and acts only after confirmation. First, Clara pauses and does not reply, click any links, or share any data right away. Next, she checks the sender address, links, and attachments. The system flags the message as external, and the domain does not match the company's. She also notices the urgent tone, a common pressure tactic. Then, she reports the request by contacting IT through an approved internal channel. Clara waits while IT investigates and blocks the sender. Once confirmed, she deletes the email and follows IT's guidance to finish the process. By following these steps, Clara helps protect confidential data, safeguard the company, and reduce security risks.