Don’t Bank On Your Coworkers

(My coworker has a good grasp on technology, and knows how to avoid spam. She has recently had her computer upgraded and does not yet have most programs to run the basics.)

Coworker: “Hey [name]? Can you open up ZIP files?”

Me: “Sure. Send it over.”

(I open the zip, and it’s an executable file from a known bank.)

Coworker: “Hmm. I still can’t open it. What kind of file is it?”

Me: “It’s an executable.”

Coworker: “I don’t know. I don’t even know this guy at [bank] who sent it.”

Me: “…do you bank with them?”

Coworker: “No.”

Me: “Delete it. Delete it now. Remove it from your trash bin. Start running scans.”

Coworker: “I shouldn’t have opened it, should I?”

Me: “No. But at least you didn’t run the executable file, unlike others in this building.”

(10 minutes later, another coworker approaches us.)

Other Coworker: “Hey guys. Did you get something from [bank]? I opened it, and now I can’t get onto my computer.”

Me: “Do you bank with them?”

Other Coworker: “No. But it seemed important! It was about my account!”

(I spent that entire afternoon running scans on every computer in the building to clean out the virus and keylogger.)