Holiday FUDGE Model Red Flag Messages
Colorful Hackers
Social Engineering Attacks
Cyber Threats of the Season
Cyber Don’t tips
100
In the FUDGE model the type of message designed to scare you into giving information or taking action.
What is fear?
A call that claims to be from the IRS saying you’re in trouble, for example.
100
The colorful head covering that categorizes the types of hackers.
What are colored hats?
100
An attack that lures a user into a social engineering trap, usually with a promise of something attractive like a free gift card.
What is baiting?
100
Malicious code or software that poses as an innocent program, hiding in apps, games or email attachments that hackers don’t use to protect against pregnancy.
What are Trojans?
100
Like tapping on a chain, don’t do this in email from unknown senders.
What is click on links?
200
In the FUDGE model the type of message saying you must take action immediately, “or else”.
What is urgency?
For example, a message that threatens to turn off access to your data and files.
200
The hat color of hackers that are the evil guys who want to use their technical skills to defraud and blackmail others.
What are black hat hackers?
They usually have the expertise and knowledge to break into computer networks without the owners’ permission, exploit security vulnerabilities, and bypass security protocols. To make money, they are ready to do all illegal activities.
200
An attack where the attacker sends emails pretending to come from a trusted source without using rods or reels.
What is phishing?
200
The Blackbeards of today that steal from your front door instead of ships on the sea.
What are porch pirates?
200
Doing this won’t make you feel less detached.
What is don’t open attachments from unknown senders?
300
In the FUDGE model, the type of message that appears to come from someone you want to please, like a boss or department chair.
What is Desire to please?
You may have seen gift card scams that originate from someone at Yale in a position of authority. Don’t be fooled, they aren’t real.
300
The hacker hat color of hackers that use their technical skills to protect the world from bad hackers.
What is a white hat hacker?
White hat hackers hack to:
- Find and fix vulnerabilities in the system before black hat hackers exploit them.
- Develop tools that can detect cyberattacks and mitigate or block them.
- Strengthen the overall security posture of the software and hardware components.
- Build security software like antivirus, anti-malware, anti-spyware, honeypots, firewalls, etc.
300
One little piggy, 2 little piggies, 3 little piggies, in this attack an authorized user provides physical access to another individual who does this off the user’s credentials.
What is piggybacking?
300
The type of scam involves card players that don’t play fair with your gifted money.
What are gift card scams?
300
The thing not to do when there is an unknown ringing in your ear.
What is don’t answer unsolicited phone calls?
400
In the FUDGE model the type of message that says you are the winner of something you want.
What is Greed?
$50 million, anyone? Nope, that’s too good to be true – don’t believe them!
400
The hacker hat color that wants to save the world from evil hackers but they choose extreme and sometimes illegal routes to achieve their goals. Like the pseudo-Robin Hood of the cybersecurity field — they take the wrong path to do the right thing.
What is a red hat hacker?
Red hat hackers use all types of tactics to attack black hat hackers, including:
- Infecting the bad hackers’ systems with malware,
- Launching DDoS attacks,
- Using tools to gain remote access to the hacker’s computer to demolish it.
400
Without using a car, an unauthorized individual follows an authorized user into a location, for example by quickly slipping in through a protected door.
What is tailgating?
400
Scams that exploit the holiday spirit giving your donations to hackers that don‘t need your charity.
What are charitable giving scams?
400
The thing not to do when an “urgent” pop-up window appears on your computer or phone, telling you that your device is compromised and needs repairing. When you call the support number for help, the scammer may either ask for remote access to your computer or request a fee to fix it.
What is don’t respond to or click on pop-ups?
Another malware technique is to use deceptive “Close” or “X” buttons, which automatically install a virus when you click on them.
500
In the FUDGE model the type of message that plays on your feelings such as a relative who is “stranded” and needs money ASAP. Sounds sketchy, right?
What is Emotion?
500
The hacker hat color of the “newbies” in the world of hacking that are not aware of the security mechanism and the inner workings of the web, but they are keen learners.
What are green hat hackers?
Although their intention is not necessarily to cause harm, they may do so while “playing” with various malware and attack techniques.
As a result, green hat hackers can also be harmful because they often are not aware of the consequences of their actions — or, worst, how to fix them.
500
In this jacked up attack attackers deploy software on a victim’s device, and begin using their computing resources to generate cryptocurrency, without their knowledge.
What is crypto jacking?
500
The threat from hackers that kidnap your data.
What is ransomware?
500
Because public networks are crawling with scammers just waiting to intercept your passwords, bank account numbers, and other sensitive information so they can use it later to steal your money or identity.
What is don’t conduct any transaction involving personal information while using a public wifi network?