I received a strange email where I was bcc'd by the National Hispanic Institute. Inside was a PDF about a secure message regarding a grant proposal request. I didn't download the file, but I clicked on a graphic link within the email. This led me to another link that I clicked, which opened a captcha page. I realized something was off and closed it before entering any info. The captcha page had the word *farmer* in the title but that's all I recall. Afterward, I emailed the sender, who replied saying they were hacked. Now I'm feeling anxious about it. I didn't download anything, Gmail didn't flag the PDF for malware, and I'm using Safari on my MacBook without any extra security add-ons. Should I be concerned? I've never requested a grant and only have an account with them.
4 Answers
Honestly, you’re probably fine! Since you didn’t download anything or enter personal info, you’re in a good spot. Safari on Mac is pretty secure, so unless something really sketchy happened, you likely have nothing to worry about.
It's smart that you clicked out when you did. Just to be safe, clear your cache and cookies. You can do this by going to Safari > Settings > Privacy and then select Clear Cookies and Website Data. Also, check for any weird extensions under your Settings.
You never know with these situations; sometimes malware hides in files or URLs that can execute on your system. Even if you don't have the programs usually targeted, it’s good to be overly cautious. Keeping your software updated can help too.
This seems like a classic phishing attempt. It’s a good idea to learn more about cybersecurity to protect yourself in the future. Here’s a helpful [resource on spotting phishing scams](https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/phishing). Stay safe!
Yeah, and don't forget to look at System Preferences > Profiles to see if anything suspicious was added there!