Final answer:
A key characteristic of phishing emails is urgent language prompting immediate action, use of generic greetings, and suspicious links or attachments. They may also display slightly altered, yet seemingly legitimate, email addresses. Awareness of such emails is an important part of cybersecurity training in institutions and for protecting against scams.
Step-by-step explanation:
A key characteristic of a phishing email is that it often contains urgent language that prompts the recipient to act immediately. This urgency could be exemplified by a scenario, such as a compromised account, that requires the recipient to update their information promptly. Phishing emails may also use generic greetings, such as "Dear Customer" instead of your actual name, and often contain links or attachments that should be approached with caution. Additionally, they might display a forged email address or a sender name that looks legitimate at first glance but has slight, hard-to-spot variations intended to deceive the recipient. The goal is to trick individuals into divulging personal information, such as passwords or credit card numbers.
Universities often conduct training by intentionally sending fake phishing emails to staff, teaching them to be vigilant and critically analyze every email they receive. This is a part of cybersecurity awareness to help avoid falling for actual scams and identity theft. It's important to pay attention to the subject line too, as phishing emails often have subject lines that are either too vague or overly specific in a way that feels artificial. Plus, experts such as Elizabeth Kolbert in 'The Sixth Extinction' and IT professionals in university settings emphasize the necessity of being cautious and informed in our digital interactions.