Overview
The Phish Alert Button (also labeled as "Report to OU IT") is the most effective way to report suspected phishing emails to the OU IT Cybersecurity team. Reported emails are removed from your inbox and analyzed to see if they might be a cybersecurity threat.
Your use of the button gives a warning to the IT Cybersecurity team of possible phishing attacks and malicious emails. With your warning, the team can take effective action to prevent security or network compromise, including by quickly removing malicious emails from all university inboxes. If you receive an email you are concerned about, please use the Report to OU IT button and our team will investigate.
The Phish Alert Button is associated with KnowBe4, the OU IT Cybersecurity Learning Management System. In addition to protecting university data as well as allowing for quick removal of malicious emails from all university inboxes, utilizing the Phish Alert Button counts toward your KnowBe4 Learner Dashboard score and badges.
The Icon
Look for the icon below on individual emails within Outlook. When you suspect an email might be phishing, report it by clicking the button!
Installation
The Phish Alert Button has been automatically deployed to all Outlook mail clients. This includes Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016 & Outlook for Microsoft 365, Exchange 2013 & 2016, Outlook on the web (Outlook.com), the Outlook Mobile App (iOS and Android), Chrome 54 and later (Linux, OS X, and Windows). Please review troubleshooting below if you are not able to find your Phish Alert Button or to reinstall if an update removed your Phish Alert Button.
The Phish Alert Button is not available through other email clients such as those typically found on pre-installed cell phones and laptops lableled "Mail" or "Email". To use the Phish Alert Button, please use Outlook.
Troubleshooting
Microsoft 365
- Windows Outlook
- If you are using the new version of Outlook available through Microsoft 365, you should automatically have a Report "Phish Alert" button at the top of your “Home Ribbon”.
- If you do not see the button, you may add it by going to File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Now find the check box for Add-ins and check it. Now click OK, the button should now appear. Alternately you may need to find and select Phish Alert in the left "Choose commands from" column, then click the Add >> button. Then click OK.
- Mac Outlook
- If you do not see the Phish Alert button, add it by following the instructions below:
- Select the ellipsis
- Select “Customize Toolbar”
- The “Current Icons” should be open at the top of the screen
- To add the Phish Alert Button, locate the icon in the icons screen, and then drag it to the top toolbar.
- Select Done when finished.
- The Phish Alert Button should now show at the top of your “Home Ribbon”
- Microsoft 365 Online
- The Phish Alert Button should automatically be available in the top right corner of each email
- If you do not see the button, you may add it by going to Settings > View all Outlook settings > Customize actions > Message Surface > Now find the check box for Phish Alert and check it. Now Save, then Exit and finally refresh your browser. The button should now appear in the top of your message preview.
- Alternately, select the ellipsis to report and choose Phish Alert
- Outlook Mobile App
- With the message open, click the ellipsis in the upper right corner. The Phish Alert button should be available in the pop up menu.
