How to Identify a Legitimate Website
What is phishing?
Phishing is a fraudulent attempt, usually made through email, to steal your personal information. The best way to protect yourself from phishing is to learn how to recognize it.
Phishing emails can appear to come from Georgia Tech and ask for your personal information such as your GTID number, Birthdate, Social Security Number, GT account username or password. Some may even ask you for sensitive financial data like credit card numbers or bank account numbers.
Phishing emails can also tell you to click on a link that takes you to a site where your personal information is requested. Georgia Tech will never ask you for your password over email or on the phone.
An example of a phishing website
Marked in red are three clues that flag this page as a phishing attempt to steal your personal information. The example below is using an older design that is no longer used, but attackers could still use the design to trick users.
Note: Georgia Tech's domain is 'gatech.edu'. The example below is demonstrating a website outside of Georgia Tech's domain. Only on very rare occasions will a legitimate Georgia Tech URL not include 'gatech.edu'.
What a legitimate website should look like
Below are some screenshots of what your browser should look like when you are safely connected to a legitimate Georgia Tech website. Notice the URL. Be familiar with what legitimate URLs look like. Services such as MyGaTech, Buzzport, T-Square will always have a https:// in front of the address. Look for a pad lock indicating the site you are on is using SSL (Secure Socket Layer).
Windows XP using Internet Explorer 8 to view: MyGaTech
Windows XP using Firefox 3.6 to view: MyGaTech
Look for a padlock in the lower right hand corner:
OS X Snow Leopard using Google Chrome to view: MyGaTech
OS X Snow Leopard using Safari 4 to view: MyGaTech
Feel free to submit a request for help for any of the following reasons: