Protect Students from Spear Phishing Attacks

Nelnet Business Services (NBS) has received a critical notice from the cyber division within the FBI. We feel that the notice is important and timely. As being a provider of educational services and funding, we want to make our clients aware of the issue.  

The FBI stated that the department of education, federal student aid (FSA), and government student loans are being targeted by cyber criminals. They criminals are launching spear phishing attacks targeted to your students. The attacks are compromising FSA login credentials.  

Erik Brown, Nelnet IT director, defines spear phishing as, “Specific targeting of an individual or group of individuals within an organization by the use of gathered data to appear as though the attacker is part of the organization.” 

We want to make our partners aware of the situation so they can be prepared to proficiently and effectively handle any attacks that occur.

Making institutions aware of the cyber threats, allows them time to alert their students to be conscious of spear phishing campaigns. Our team is constantly mindful of cyber-attacks and are proactive in creating ways to combat them.  

The Nelnet cybersecurity team includes 70 plus individuals that promote security within the Nelnet environment, Brown said.  

“We have active and passive systems that provide multiple layers across our entire enterprise to defend and detect suspicious traffic,” Brown said. “Specifically in relation to phishing and spear phishing, we conduct periodic training for all associates to raise the awareness of the risk.” 

For detailed information on this PIN, please refer to HubHelp either through the Help icon in Enterprise or by logging in here. Our team is eager to answer any questions or give suggestions to ensure your institution and students are secure and safe.