Threats

Users of online services are potential targets for attempts to steal login credentials and other sensitive information. These threats include scam emails (phishing and malware) and phone calls attempting to gather information that can be used to gain unauthorized access or privileged knowledge.

Phishing and Malware

Don’t become a victim of "phishing," in which Internet criminals set up a Web site that mimics a legitimate site, such as the salesforce.com login page. By following the tips below, you can avoid becoming a victim of such a scam:

• Always look for the "lock" icon in the bottom-right corner of your browser (see images below).
• Be suspicious of emails that include links to the salesforce.com login page. Don't click on such links—instead, always log in to salesforce.com in one of two ways:
  (1) Enter “ https:///www.salesforce.com/login.jsp” in the address field
  (2) Click the Customer Login tab from the salesforce.com home page (www.salesforce.com)
• Log in to your Force.com sandbox environment only at the following secure site: https://test.salesforce.com/login.jsp.

 

Spot suspicious emails

Phishing emails try to trick you into revealing information, often by asking you to “verify” or “update” information. Such emails may use the logos of the companies or government agencies they are impersonating to look legitimate.

One clue is that such messages often contain poor spelling and grammar. However, as scam artists become more sophisticated, their approaches are becoming more varied and their messages are getting better. Another clue to look out for is links that don’t match the URLs of the companies they claim to come from.

The example below shows some common phishing tactics, but expect anything … as users catch on to one approach, Internet criminals come up with new ones.

Report suspicious emails
If you receive a suspicious email that involves the salesforce.com brand, submit a report: https://trust.salesforce.com/trust/security/reportsecurityissue/

Suspicious phone calls

Several customers have reported receiving phone calls from persons who misrepresent themselves as employees or agents of salesforce.com. Some of these callers are attempting to steal your salesforce.com credentials—an illegal practice known as “social engineering.”

Here’s how it typically works:

• A caller identifies companies that use salesforce.com by searching public job postings, etc.
• The caller contacts the customer’s main switchboard and asks for the person responsible for salesforce.com or the salesforce.com administrator. The caller may claim to offer a “new version of salesforce.com.”
• The caller asks for login credentials to “install improvements” or perform other activities in the customer’s org.

What you need to do:

• Remind your users that salesforce.com employees will not ask for usernames or passwords.
• If one of your users betrays his or her login credentials, you should reset that person’s password immediately and alert us: security@salesforce.com
• If a caller identifies him or herself as a salesforce.com employee and you do not recognize his or her name, ask for a call-back number and email address. Then call our 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE (1-800-667-6389) number to verify whether the caller is a salesforce.com employee.

H1N1 Virus Precautions

The World Health Organization has officially designated the H1N1 virus a pandemic. We thought you might want to know what salesforce.com is doing to ensure employee safety and service continuity.

Salesforce.com has implemented a pandemic preparedness plan, which was created and validated by International SOS, the world’s leading provider of medical assistance, international healthcare, security, and travel services. The plan enables employees to respond effectively and efficiently to a pandemic, using a phased approach, so that essential operations are maintained and transmission of the pandemic virus is reduced among employees, customers, and partners.

Customers seeking more information should request a detailed briefing through their account representative.

The above information regarding the H1N1 pandemic preparedness plan is intended for informational purposes only. Salesforce.com has endeavored to provide information that is accurate as of the dissemination date of this document. The procedures and policies described above may change from time to time.

Recent Phishing Scams

Phishing scams use fraudulent emails to get users to reveal confidential information. Such emails typically look as though they come from a legitimate organization and may contain links to what appears to be that organization’s site, but is actually a fake site designed to capture information.

As these scams get more sophisticated, it can be tough knowing whether an email is real or fake. The best way to avoid being tricked is knowing what to look for: Read our security letter for actions you can take to prevent phishing.

So don’t fall for phishing ... for detailed information about recent security alerts, click here—or check out these examples of recent scams: 

Click a thumbnail image below for details: