Salam@ programme educates public on phishing attacks

AMMAN — The Salam@ programme for digital safety recently launched an awareness campaign to address phishing attacks happening in the digital sphere.

Implemented by the Canadian think tank SecDev, the Salam@ programme for women and youth in the Middle East and North Africa region is a multiyear initiative that seeks to change perceptions and behaviours towards digital safety, increase public awareness, and build the capacities of women, youth and civil society organisations to operate safely online.

The campaign focuses on defining the various ways through which people can protect themselves against phishing scams and attacks, and explains how Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) adds a layer of security to online accounts.

Additionally, the campaign seeks to introduce people to the best practices for phishing prevention, such as password management, 2FA, and other prevention methods.

Speaking with The Jordan Times on Thursday, Salam@ national coordinator Lina Momani, said that “phishing remains a significant cybersecurity issue and is one of the most prominent forms of social engineering”.

Phishing is a form of fraud in which a scammer sends an email, electronic communication scam, or fraudulent message, to get the recipient to part with something of value, and harvest sensitive information, Momani said, noting that a targeted phishing campaign is crafted to target a specific person or entity.

“Phishers and fraudsters will always find new ways to lure victims into giving sensitive information,” she pointed out.

The campaign would shed light on the importance of activating 2FA in order to prevent account hacking and protect people’s valuable information, she added.

She also noted that the campaign would also include step-by-step tutorials and detailed content that would help people and equip them with the necessary tools.