This page lists current warnings regarding suspicious email messages and other cybersecurity hazards at the University of Virginia. For guidance on how to secure yourself against these hazards, be sure to visit our tip of the month.
Messages similar to the suspicious emails listed below may be related to phishing scams, schemes to commit identity theft, or other attempts to compromise users’ machines or personal information.
From: "Lewis, Tanika (tl9jh)"
Date: 18 February 2022 at 14:26:04 GMT
To: Typical User
Subject: UVA Employment
Work remotely at your convenience from home or school this semester. Students and staff of UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA are qualified to apply, and payment is $400 weekly! Kindly CLICK HERE
Thanks.
A critical vulnerability (CVE-2021-4034) has been identified that requires the immediate attention of most Linux users. Please prioritize this issue.
Information about this vulnerability, who it affects, how to search for it, and mitigation strategies if you find it, are on our webpage: Critical vulnerability in most default Linux installations
We want to make sure that finding and fixing this vulnerability is high priority for all Linux administrators. Linux users who are not administrators should contact their administartor to make sure it is being fixed.
Thank you for helping to keep everyone’s data and information at UVA secure.
Multiple people at UVA have reported that they have received a text message that looks something like the one below.
This is "smishing" - it's like "phishing" but over SMS text so it's called "smishing"
So treat it like a phishing email - Don't click on the link.
Notice the weird writing, such as putting parenthesis around the "3" and not making "virus" plural.
The link is a odd as well, not a well-known link shortener, and if you hovered on it, it doesn't go where it states.
So ignore this text!
From: virginia.edu:12/29/2021
Sent: Wednesday, December 29, 2021 5:59:55 AM
To: User, Typical S
Subject: virginia.edu_Notification:(Wednesday, December 29, 2021)
virginia.edu WEBMAIL
Hello mst3k,
Your mst3k [at] virginia.edu password is set to Expire today,
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
You can change your password or continue using same password below
Keep Same Password
virginia.edu Support
From: Virginia -053100 <kazash [at] gvsu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2021 3:36 PM
To: Typical User mst3k [at] virginia.edu>
Subject: Covid Test#56470
Importance: High
Attached copy of your test result.
Thanks.
From: "John William Betts, III"
Date: November 13, 2021 at 1:05:15 PM EST
Subject: University Payroll Services invited you to view the files "Regarding 2021 payroll schedule "on Payroll Services.
University Payroll Services invited you to view the files "Regarding your 2021 payroll schedule "on Payroll Services.
View file
Enjoy!
University Payroll Services
From: IT HelpDesk
Date: Friday, November 5, 2021 at 2:58 PM
To: Typical User
Subject: virginia.edu Urgent Action Required!
Hi mst3k,
Due to new terms of our user agreement, we inform you that we made recent updates in our website to ensure safety while using our services. Follow the link below to update your mailbox and follow the steps to check your email.
Update Account
Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.
Thanks,
Helpdesk Team
To stop De-activation Click Here and Log In
IT Help Desk.
More zero-day flaws have been found in the Chrome web browser used on Windows, Macintosh, and Linux computers. The flaws (CVE-2021-37975 and CVE-2021-37976) are a high and medium severity flaw (respectively) on the CVSS vulnerability-rating scale. Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system or obtain sensitive information.
Multiple people at UVA have reported that they have received a text message that looks like this:
This is the beginning of a gift card scam!
If you're concerned that it is legitimate request from your "" (e.g., your dean, department chair) then email or call that person using the contact information you already have.
Please report "smishing" (SMS phishing) to us by emailing [email protected]
Please report any level of incident, no matter how small. The Information
Security office will evaluate the report and provide a full investigation if appropriate.