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Phishing Attacks

Nov. 21, 2025

TO:              UMMC Faculty, Staff and Students

FROM:         Office of Information Security and Privacy

SUBJECT:    Phishing Attacks

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Recently, multiple phishing attacks targeted our workforce with deceptive emails and text messages that asked users to provide their multi-factor authentication code or attempt to initiate other forms of personal contact.  This attack underlines the need to remember the training we receive each year as part of the mandatory IT security training. 

A reminder: Sharing your password, authentication codes, badge or any other identity token with anyone is a violation of UMMC policy and may result in discipline under the policy on Sanctions for Noncompliance.  

In response of the tactics used in this recent attack, we’ve posted a reminder on the intranet of the utmost importance of protecting your authentication codes with examples of the types of aggressive messages often used.  

If you receive a message through text or email asking for your personal information and/or an authentication code, do not reply and report it to us at privacy@umc.edu or by phone at 601-815-3944. Keeping safe all codes that can confirm your identity protects both your account and the entire organization.  

Please keep in mind that UMMC staff will never ask you for your verification codes under any circumstance.