Applies to:
- Russell Labs faculty, students and staff
When:
- February 5th, 2024
What:
Hackers often use email to trick people into infecting their devices with viruses or malware.
The email may look innocent, but when you click on a link, a website opens and downloads malicious software.
Starting February 5th, DoIT will begin scanning website links to help protect your devices.
If the scanning software decides the link destination is unsafe, the website will not open.
Which Emails Are Affected?
- Email sent to you from an off-campus account
- The linked website is not hosted at UW-Madison
- The email message was not cryptographically signed (PGP or S/MIME)
What Else Will I Notice?
If you hover your cursor over the link, the link will look different – it will start with the URL scanner website info:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__
…followed by the original link.
Additional Information:
See this DoIT KB Doc – Email Security: URL Defense FAQ
Questions?
Contact Russell Labs IT: help@russell.wisc.edu