Outlook add-in lets you report suspicious emails to UK government
Some emails manage to get through security measures, and you can now report them to the UK government with a click.
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What you need to know
Microsoft Outlook has a new add-in that allows people to easily report suspicious emails to the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) (viaZDNet). TheReport Phishing add-inis made by Microsoft and is available through the company’s AppSource website. Admins can set the Report Phishing add-in to send reports to Microsoft, the NCSC, or a security administrator.
While Outlook and Office 365 already have security measures in place, attackers can find ways around these. For example, Microsoft recently detailed aphishing campaign that used Morse codeto bypass detection. That campaign — like many other phishing attacks — tries to trick people into downloading malware.
If an email manages to get to a recipient undetected, a person can report it to Microsoft and the NCSC, assuming that an admin has set the Report Phishing tool to include it.
TheNCSC outlineshow to include the NCSC’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) in the Report Phishing add-in.
Since its launch in April 2020, the NCSC’s Suspicious Email Reporting Service has received over 6.6 million reports. It’s removed over 97,500 URLs and 50,500 scams as of June 30, 2021.
The Report Phishing add-in is only available on corporate and business versions of Office 365.
If an organization can’t set up the Report Phishing add-in on Outlook, people can still report suspicious emails to the NCSC by forwarding the email in question to report@phishing.gov.uk.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
