How to Identify Malicious Emails

malicious-emailsThe email is very present in our day to day. It is a means of communication widely used by both private users and companies. It offers a wide range of possibilities and we have at our disposal many different suppliers. However, it must be taken into account that it is also a means widely used by cybercriminals to carry out their attacks and infect victims’ devices. In this article we will give a series of tips to identify malicious e-mails .

The e-mail is as used as dangerous

Hackers often set their sights on what hosts more users. Email is no exception, and the fact of being so used also causes it to be used to carry out different types of threats. It is a means through which we can be infected by different types of malware or be victims of scams.

This is something that affects both private users and companies. A simple email may contain malware that puts our privacy and security at risk. There are also other types of attacks such as Phishing that can steal our credentials and passwords.

It is essential that we know how to identify when an e-mail can be dangerous. In this way we will avoid making mistakes that put our privacy and security at risk. The goal is that our devices are not affected by the different types of malware on the network.

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How to identify malicious e-mails

We will give a series of important tips to identify malicious e-mails . In this way we can avoid committing errors that download malware on our systems or be victims of attacks such as Phishing.

Analyze the sender

The first thing we should do is analyze the sender of that email well. You have to observe the e-mail address and verify that it is really legitimate. This may be the key to detect a fake email before even opening it.



In many cases hackers can use addresses that look completely false. This is the case when the address contains meaningless letters and numbers. However on other occasions they may very well simulate being an official source. They may change the name of a company slightly, for example by adding a number, replacing a letter, etc.

Insistent or alarming matter

Something that can indicate that we are facing a fraudulent email is the subject of the message . Sometimes we can run into an insistent or alarming phrase. For example, it indicates that our account has been stolen, that we have won a prize, etc. A bait that can get our attention and cause us to open the e-mail.

Message Content

Of course the content of the message will also tell us if it is a fraud. We may receive an email with poorly translated texts. It is also possible that there are misspellings and, in general, strange content for what should be a legitimate e-mail. It is, in short, another warning sign.

Strange Attachments

Attachments can be the key to a cyber attack. They may contain malware and you have to keep in mind that the extension may vary. It is possible that a simple Word or Excel file is a major threat. You have to observe well what kind of attachments we have and if they should be there. In case of doubt you should never open them.

They ask for more data than normal

We can also run into an e-mail where we are asked for more data than is really necessary. For example they pose as a bank or a company where they ask us for personal information, passwords or similar. We would be facing an attempted scam in order to steal our data.

Shortened links

Shortened links are widely used in fraudulent e-mails. Basically what they do is hide the complete address, where the user could really see where they would be redirected. It is important that we be careful with this type of shortened links, since they can hide cyber attacks.