information GoDaddy apologizes for "insensitive" phishing email

[branding]

GoDaddy apologizes for "insensitive" phishing email offering bonuses to employees

DECEMBER 25, 2020 / 7:43 AM / AFP


Scottsdale, Arizona-based web company GoDaddy apologized Thursday after an email that promised employees a Christmas bonus in the midst of pandemic-related economic troubles turned out to be a computer security test.

"GoDaddy takes the security of our platform extremely seriously. We understand some employees were upset by the phishing attempt and felt it was insensitive, for which we have apologized," a spokesman for GoDaddy, the largest internet domain management company in the world, told AFP in a statement.

"While the test mimicked real attempts in play today, we need to do better and be more sensitive to our employees," GoDaddy said.

Around 500 employees clicked on a December email from the company offering a Christmas bonus of $650 and asking them to fill out a form with their personal details.

Two days later, a different message appeared in their inboxes.

"You are receiving this email because you failed our recent phishing test," the email from GoDaddy's security chief read, according to Arizona's Copper Courier newspaper.

The technique of phishing, widely used by computer hackers, sends emails purporting to be from a person known to the intended target, with the objective of obtaining information to infiltrate their computer systems.

The test email sparked uproar on social media as millions of Americans have been hit hard by the economic troubles linked to the pandemic .

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/godaddy-apologizes-insensitive-phishing-email-bonuses-employees/

 

[griff]

So they still didn't give out the holiday bonuses then. I can only assume they had no money left after the $320 million+ they spent on Poynt like a week or two ago.

 

[branding]

So they still didn't give out the holiday bonuses then. I can only assume they had no money left after the $320 million+ they spent on Poynt like a week or two ago.

Agreed. Doesn't look good PR wise. I would award them that $650 bonus, make that an even 1K for the trouble. That kind of money is nothing to them.

I haven't had an employer for a long time but if mine would have tried this on me I'd take legal action against them for sure. It's troubling to realise that somehow their security department thinks this up and it gets approved by the executives.

Bottom line, don't mess about with the people you employ, treat them just and fairly.

 

[CraigD]

Perhaps it was an insensitive test, but according to these reports, 500 GD employees clicked on that email and failed the phishing test.

Right or wrong, the test showed a glaring security issue that needs to be addressed.

 

[bmugford]

While I understand tests like this do make sense as GoDaddy has had some security and social engineering incidents over the years, this was a very disgusting way to do it in my view.

GoDaddy is coming off record revenues, how about actually giving your employees a bonus?

Brad

 

[Lord Antares]

Firstly, this is a really shitty prank and it comes off as if they were mocking their employees. I would say that this doesn't surprise me coming from godaddy, but at least they should be the most aware ones of political and PR issues.

Secondly and most importantly, I feel like this would be a good test IF it wasn't for the fact that the email was specifically addressed to godaddy employees. A real phishing email wouldn't have known that those people are godaddy employees and therefore the test is ill advised and invalid. More people would have passed a more realistic phishing test.

 

[dna]

A company has the right to protect themselves from the foolish behavior of their employees.
They pay their employees for the right to be insensitive. Anyone who don't like it can get a job where they coddle sensitive employees...like in coal mines or oil fields.

 

[CraigD]

A company has the right to protect themselves from the foolish behavior of their employees.
They pay their employees for the right to be insensitive. Anyone who don't like it can get a job where they coddle sensitive employees...like in coal mines or oil fields.

Can I please rephrase your comment "They pay their employees for the right to be insensitive" to "They pay their employees to do their jobs" under the assumption that these employees have been trained correctly in anti-phishing procedures.

 

[pablohc86]

I'd be curious to see one of those fake phishing email and from which address they were sent from.
Usual phishing emails i receive are not crafted really good and they show some detail where you can argue the authenticity of that email....

btw if the email was bad looking and 500 people clicked on it and they put their details.. there is a very big serious problem

 

[equity78]

Perhaps it was an insensitive test, but according to these reports, 500 GD employees clicked on that email and failed the phishing test.

Right or wrong, the test showed a glaring security issue that needs to be addressed.

That's what @GeorgeK was talking about on Twitter. They have bigger problems than an apology.

 

[Mytz.com]

Thanks sharing

 

[King]

They didn't even give out actual bonuses after that not even half, what do you expect from GD?