Which of the following is a common indicator of a phishing attempt?

• A. Using a strong firewall
• B. Regular software updates
• C. Spoofed addresses
• D. Long, complex password

Answer: (C)

Phishing messages rely on deception, and a telltale sign is spoofed addresses. When the sender’s address is forged to look like it’s from a trusted organization, the message can slip past casual checks. You might see a domain that’s only slightly different from the legitimate one or a display name that hides the real address. That mismatch between who the message seems to come from and the actual sender is a strong clue that something shady is going on, so you should verify through official channels rather than trusting it at face value.

The other options are good security practices that reduce risk, but they aren’t indicators that a specific message is phishing. A strong firewall helps block threats at the network edge, regular software updates close vulnerabilities, and a long, complex password strengthens account security; none of these directly signal that an email is a phishing attempt.