Phishing House
Phishing House
Me: I would like to set up a company training exercise to see whether someone would randomly click on a link in an email that asked them to figure out which Hogwarts House they belonged in.
ChatGPT4: Certainly. Implementing a phishing simulation like the one you've described is a common technique used by organizations to train their employees on cybersecurity awareness. Here's a step-by-step guide to set up this exercise:
Objective Setting: Clearly define the goal of the simulation. In this case, the objective is to evaluate whether employees would click on a potentially malicious link.
Tool Selection: Use a trusted phishing simulation tool/platform. There are several reputable options available, such as GoPhish, PhishMe, and KnowBe4.
Email Design:
Subject: "Discover Your Hogwarts House – Take the Quiz!"
Body: Design an email that entices the reader to click the link but also contains subtle indicators that it might be a phishing attempt, such as typos, generic greetings, or an unfamiliar sender's address.
Link: The link can redirect to a safe internal page that records the click and informs the employee that they've participated in a simulation.
Send the Email: Use the phishing simulation tool to send the email to the intended recipients within your company. Make sure to exclude the IT department and top-level executives to maintain the element of surprise.
Track Results: Monitor how many employees:
Opened the email.
Clicked on the link.
Reported the email (if you have an internal reporting mechanism).
Feedback and Training:
For those who clicked: Provide immediate feedback letting them know they've fallen for a simulated phishing attempt and offer resources or training modules to increase their awareness.
For those who reported: Acknowledge their vigilance and encourage such behavior in the future.
Post-Simulation Analysis: After the exercise, gather statistics on the number of clicks, reports, etc., and analyze areas where training might be necessary. This data can be invaluable in tailoring future training and awareness campaigns.
Inform Everyone: After the exercise, inform all employees about the simulation, its results, and the importance of being vigilant. It can be an eye-opening experience for many and a good opportunity to highlight the risks of real-world phishing attacks.
Regularly Schedule Simulations: Make this a recurring event, with different themes and tactics, to ensure continuous training and awareness.
Note: Before implementing any phishing simulation, it's important to get approval from upper management and ensure that all legal and ethical guidelines are followed. The purpose is education and awareness, not to shame or penalize employees.
Me: what might the email look like?
ChatGPT4: Certainly. Here's a sample of what the phishing simulation email could look like, with potential indicators that it's a phishing attempt subtly included:
Subject: 🎉 Exclusive Hogwarts House Quiz Inside!
From: HogwartsQuiz@magicalfun.net
Dear [Employee's First Name],
We're excited to offer you a chance to discover your true Hogwarts House! Have you ever wondered whether you belong in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin? Click below to find out:
Discover Your Hogwarts House Now!
This exclusive quiz is brought to you in partnership with the magical team at [Your Company Name]. Dive deep into the wizarding world and find out where you truly belong.
Why wait? Dive in and let the sorting begin!
Warmest wishes,
The MagicalFun Team
Subtle Indicators of a Phishing Attempt:
Unfamiliar Sender Address: The domain "magicalfun.net" might not be familiar to employees.
Mismatched Branding: If your company doesn't typically collaborate with external fun quizzes, this can be a red flag.
Generic Greeting: Using the placeholder [Employee's First Name] without an actual name is suspicious.
Urgency: Phrases like "Why wait?" can be a tactic to rush the user into clicking without thinking.
Misspellings or Grammatical Errors: This email is relatively clean, but adding a typo or two could make it more suspicious.
Remember, the goal of the email is not to trick as many employees as possible but to gauge awareness and provide training. The email should be plausible enough that a distracted employee might click on it, but still contain indicators that it's not genuine.
Me: how might one do this without infringing on IP?
ChatGPT4:
Using the "Hogwarts House" theme, or any other intellectual property (IP) without proper authorization, can lead to legal issues. To conduct the phishing simulation without infringing on IP rights, consider the following steps:
Original Content: Create a fictitious but intriguing theme that does not borrow directly from existing IPs. For instance, instead of "Hogwarts House", you might use "Mystic Academy Guilds". Design your own logos, names, and descriptions to avoid direct resemblances.
General Themes: Use broad themes that are not copyrighted. For example, "Find Out Your Magic Power" or "Which Mystic Creature Are You?" are generic enough that they don't directly point to a specific IP.
Clear Disclaimers: If you're drawing inspiration from a known theme but not copying it, a disclaimer might be useful. For instance, "This quiz is a fun, fictional activity inspired by fantasy themes and is not affiliated with any particular book or movie series."
Avoid Direct References: Steer clear of specific terms, names, logos, and other recognizable elements from copyrighted material.
License or Seek Permission: If you're set on using a particular theme or IP, consider reaching out to the copyright holder for permission. While this might be more applicable for larger campaigns or initiatives, it's an option to keep everything above board.
Educate & Inform: Make sure that the team creating the content is aware of the importance of not infringing on IP rights. A brief training or checklist might help in ensuring the content remains original.
Legal Review: If in doubt, consider having the content reviewed by a legal team or professional familiar with IP law. They can provide guidance and highlight potential areas of concern.
Remember, the primary goal is to test and train employees on cybersecurity awareness, not to produce an exact replica of an existing theme. The content should be engaging enough to entice users but not so close to existing IPs as to raise legal concerns.