NCSAM 2025 – If You See Something, Report It – The Cyber Incident Protocol

Mission Objective: Report. Respond. Resist.

Congratulations, Agent.

You’ve made it to the final transmission in our Cybersecurity Awareness Month series. If you’ve been following along, you now know how to recognize dangerous downloads, avoid alien artifacts, stay off the satellite radar, and think critically before sharing intel online.

But here’s the most important directive of all:

REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IMMEDIATELY.

Why Timely Reporting Matters

Every second counts when facing a cyber threat. The faster it’s reported, the faster the response—and the fewer systems or people get pulled into the breach.

Waiting to report could mean:

• More accounts compromised

• More data exposed

• More time for attackers to dig deeper

• Delayed protection for others on the network

In short: your vigilance protects everyone.

Guide to Spot & Report Cyber Threats

Suspicious Email?

• Look for urgent or unexpected messages, strange links, or fake sender addresses.

  • Action: Use the PAB or forward it to phishfiles@montclair.edu.

Accidental Click or File Opened?

• Don’t panic. But don’t cover it up.

  • Action: Immediately report what happened—time, device, and details help us respond fast.

Scam Message or Social Media Trick?

• If someone is pretending to be IT, financial aid, or even you, it’s a red flag.

  • Action: Screenshot and send it in. The more we know, the more we can block.

Unusual Account Activity?

• Password changed? Logins from strange locations? MFA requests you didn’t approve?

  • Action: Report it via the PAB or email it to phishfiles@montclair.edu. Don’t wait to “see what happens.”

Remember, Agent:

Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT job—it’s a team mission.
Your quick action might be the reason a major breach never happens. Stay alert. Stay vocal. And when in doubt—report.

This concludes your Cybersecurity Awareness Month briefing. You’ve trained well, Agent.

They’re always watching. Good thing—you are, too.

Want to Learn More?

CrowdStrike | Introduction to Phishing

Liberty Technology | How to Report a Phishing Attack and Why It’s So Important

ScienceDirect | Scamming higher ed: An analysis of phishing content and trends

Association for Computing Machinery | From Victims to Defenders: An Exploration of the Phishing Attack Reporting Ecosystem

Google | Phishing Campaigns Targeting Higher Education Institutions

Cyber Degrees | Internet Safety and Cybersecurity Awareness for College Students