Dear Cal Poly Humboldt Community,

We’re reaching out to alert you about a recent phishing campaign that has directly impacted our campus community, including staff, faculty, and students.

What Happened:

Last night, a phishing email was sent from a compromised account at another university. The message directed recipients to a fake Google Site, which then led to a spoofed login page that closely mimicked our official Cal Poly Humboldt authentication portal.

Unfortunately, several Cal Poly Humboldt accounts were compromised after users entered their credentials and approved Duo push notifications. These compromised accounts were then used to send thousands more phishing emails to campus users.

What You Should Do Right Now:

• If you recently clicked on a suspicious email and entered your credentials or approved a Duo push you didn’t initiate, reset your password immediately at:

  https://www.humboldt.edu/reset

• Be extra cautious when approving Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) prompts. If you receive a Duo push you didn’t request, deny it and report it to our team.

How to Recognize Similar Phishing Attacks:

• The email may contain a link to a fake login page that looks nearly identical to the Cal Poly Humboldt portal.

• You might receive an unexpected Duo push notification—a strong indicator that someone else is trying to access your account.

• The sender might appear familiar, but look carefully at the email address and message content for inconsistencies.

• If your account is compromised, it could be used to send phishing messages to others.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Others:

• Never approve Duo pushes you didn’t request. If unsure, deny the push and alert ITS.
• Pause before clicking. Don’t click links in unexpected or suspicious emails, even if they look official.
• Report suspicious emails to security@humboldt.edu or use the “Report Phishing” option in Gmail.
• Reset your password immediately if you believe your account may have been compromised.

Our team is actively investigating and taking steps to mitigate the impact of this incident. We appreciate your continued vigilance and support in keeping our digital environment safe.

For tips on identifying scams and protecting your information, visit the Information Security website and explore the “Don’t Be a Victim” section.

Stay safe and take care,