Who is “Fake Ron”? (updated)
I have just become aware that staff had received another email from me asking for some gift cards in a rush because I was in a meeting. Previously, staff in my office had also received an email from me, but it wasn’t from me. They dubbed it, “Fake Ron.” Apparently, I wanted the recipient of the email to do me a favor. This fake email attempting to use my name is a good reminder to me and the staff of my office that there are many people out there dreaming up schemes to lead or mislead us into doing something.
I recently saw an article headline that said, organization breaches are in many instances caused by human error. The 2022 Horizon report on data breaches found that hackers tend to exploit human error to get initial access, particularly through the use of phishing scams.
Sometimes we very innocently click on a link, which results in some malware slipping into our system. So, the “Fake Ron” email has been a good reminder here to be always vigilant and watching for the thing that does not feel right or is too good to be true.
This has caused our office to test our vigilance and readiness – just like we have fire drills. I recommend every organization do the same.