No Phishing! Some web safety measures are straightforward, for example, avoiding inappropriate web sites. But phishing is so sneaky that it traps both old and young web users. Phishing is the practice of unscrupulous people setting up fake versions of legitimate web sites, often popular and excellent sites they know that many people will visit.

Anti-Phishing Phil
Now someone is doing something about it, developing training systems to teach web users to avoid these nasty but clever traps. Anti-Phishing Phil is an interactive game that teaches users how to identify phishing URLs, where to look for cues in web browsers, and how to use search engines to find legitimate sites. It is the work of members of the CMU Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory (CUPS) at Carnegie Mellon University.

Their studies found that user education can help prevent people from falling for phishing attacks.  Unlike the usual training manuals, which people find so tedious to read, learning how to avoid fake sites by playing this game is entertaining, and the tips are illustrated simply and in a way you can easily remember.

Play Anti-Phishing Phil Game Free Online
While there is a commercial version, you can play a research prototype version of Anti-Phishing Phil online for free. Click the link at the bottom of the page to try it out.  I promise you’ll learn how to avoid most phishing sites  in 10 minutes and have fun doing so!

More Information and Free Downloads
When you are finished playing Anti-Phishing Phil, be sure to also click the link on that same page down in the Contact Us line at the bottom.  It will take you to a related web page with published articles and even some excellent posters about web safety.  These can be downloaded in PDF format, and branch out into other forms of phishing, such as fake emails.  Click the PhishGuru link below to go directly to the download page for these great teaching aids.

Application needed: Use Online
Subject area: Life Skills.
Level: Teacher, Grades 5-7.

Links To Resources

Click HERE to go to the page where you can play Anti-Phishing Phil. Look in the Play the game! section.
Click HERE to go to the PhishGuru page and download educational posters (PDF format) about avoiding phishing scams in emails and more.