{"id":15569,"date":"2026-10-06T15:26:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T09:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/?p=15569"},"modified":"2026-10-06T15:26:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T09:56:18","slug":"clicked-a-phishing-link","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/","title":{"rendered":"Clicked a Phishing Link? What Happens and What to Do"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clicking a phishing link alone rarely hands an attacker your account. In most cases, the page simply loads, and the damage only begins if you enter details or download a file. So act in this order: disconnect the device, change the password for the account the page imitated, turn on multi-factor authentication, scan the device, and tell your IT or security team.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #414141;color:#414141\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #414141;color:#414141\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#What_a_Click_Usually_Does\" >What a Click Usually Does<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#What_to_Do_in_the_First_10_Minutes\" >What to Do in the First 10 Minutes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#Book_a_Free_Demo_Call_with_Our_Expert\" >Book a Free Demo Call with Our Expert<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#If_You_Entered_Your_Details\" >If You Entered Your Details<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#If_You_Downloaded_a_File\" >If You Downloaded a File<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#What_Happens_by_Device\" >What Happens by Device<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#How_to_Avoid_the_Next_One\" >How to Avoid the Next One<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#Practice_Beats_Advice\" >Practice Beats Advice<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/clicked-a-phishing-link\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_a_Click_Usually_Does\"><\/span>What a Click Usually Does<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A phishing link takes you to a page the attacker controls, which is why the click itself usually does less than people fear. Loading that page tells them the link works and that someone opened it. <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/how-to-recognize-phishing-emails\/\">Recognizing a phishing email<\/a> before that point is the better outcome, but a click is not a disaster on its own. The page may also record your browser, your device type, and your rough location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most phishing links stop there. The page then tries to convince you to do something, such as signing in, approving a prompt, or downloading an attachment. Those actions cause the real harm, not the click itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Risk rises sharply in two situations. First, if your browser or operating system is badly out of date, a malicious page can sometimes exploit that directly. Second, if the link downloads a file and you open it, the file can run. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/secure-our-world\/recognize-and-report-phishing\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">CISA&#8217;s guidance on phishing<\/a> makes the same point about reporting quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_Do_in_the_First_10_Minutes\"><\/span>What to Do in the First 10 Minutes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Work through these in order, and do not skip the report at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Disconnect from the internet.<\/strong> Turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the cable. This limits anything that started in the background.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do not enter anything.<\/strong> Close the tab. If a login page appeared, never type credentials into it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Change the password<\/strong> for whatever account the page imitated. Use a different device if you can.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Turn on multi-factor authentication<\/strong> for that account, if it is not already on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Run a full malware scan<\/strong> with your security software.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tell IT or security.<\/strong> On a work device, this comes first, and it is not optional.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Watch the account<\/strong> for unfamiliar logins, new rules, or messages you did not send.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Step six matters more than people expect. Reporting lets the security team pull the same message from other inboxes before colleagues see it, so it protects the whole organization rather than just you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/threatcop-phishing-incident-response\">Threatcop Phishing Incident Response (TPIR)<\/a> is built for that moment. Staff report the message with one click from email or WhatsApp, and they can check its threat level before deciding. Behind the report, the platform runs header analysis, link and attachment scanning, an IP reputation check, and deceptive domain verification in a sandbox, so the security team is not judging by eye. Its &#8220;Who Else&#8221; insight then lists the other recipients, which converts one nervous click into the scope of the whole campaign. Genuine mail goes back to the inbox, and malicious mail gets removed everywhere at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n<title>Threatcop \u2013 Book a Free Demo<\/title>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Outfit:wght@300;400;500;600;700&#038;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n  .tc-wrap , .tc-wrap ::before, .tc-wrap ::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n  .tc-wrap { font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif; width: 100%; display: flex; justify-content: center; padding: 20px 10px; }\n  .tc-card { width: 100%; max-width: 820px; background: #fff; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 20px 60px rgba(24,57,148,0.13), 0 4px 16px rgba(24,57,148,0.07); display: flex; flex-direction: row; }\n  .tc-left { background: linear-gradient(160deg, #1e44b0 0%, #183994 40%, #0e2570 100%); width: 320px; flex-shrink: 0; padding: 40px 32px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; 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}\n  .tc-btn-submit svg { width: 16px; height: 16px; stroke: #fff; stroke-width: 2.2; fill: none; flex-shrink: 0; }\n  .tc-trust { margin-top: 10px !important; display: flex !important; align-items: center !important; justify-content: center !important; gap: 5px; font-size: 13px !important; color: #a0b0cc !important; font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif !important; }\n  .tc-trust svg { width: 12px; height: 12px; stroke: #a0b0cc; stroke-width: 2; fill: none; flex-shrink: 0; }\n  @media (max-width: 680px) {\n    .tc-card { flex-direction: column !important; }\n    .tc-left { width: 100% !important; padding: 28px 24px 24px !important; }\n    .tc-right { padding: 24px 20px !important; }\n    .tc-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; }\n    .tc-field.full { grid-column: 1 !important; }\n  }\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"tc-wrap\">\n  <div class=\"tc-card\">\n    <div class=\"tc-left\">\n      <div class=\"tc-panel-inner\">\n        <div class=\"tc-badge\">\n          <span class=\"tc-badge-dot\"><\/span>\n          People Security Management\n        <\/div>\n        <h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Book_a_Free_Demo_Call_with_Our_Expert\"><\/span>Book a Free<br><em>Demo Call<\/em><br>with Our Expert<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n        <p class=\"tc-sub\">Discover how Threatcop protects your workforce from modern cyber threats.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"tc-right\">\n      <div class=\"tc-form-title\">Your Details<\/div>\n      <form action=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/thankyou-blog\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\">\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"BlogForm\" value=\"BlogForm\">\n        <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"PageSource\" id=\"tc-page-source\" value=\"\">\n        <div class=\"tc-grid\">\n          <div class=\"tc-field\">\n            <label>Full Name<\/label>\n            <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n              <input type=\"text\" name=\"FullName\" placeholder=\"Jane Smith\" required=\"\">\n              <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><circle cx=\"12\" cy=\"8\" r=\"4\"><\/circle><path d=\"M4 20c0-4 3.58-7 8-7s8 3 8 7\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"tc-field\">\n            <label>Company Name<\/label>\n            <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n              <input type=\"text\" name=\"CompanyName\" placeholder=\"Acme Corp\" required=\"\">\n              <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><rect x=\"3\" y=\"3\" width=\"18\" height=\"18\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><path d=\"M9 3v18M3 9h6M3 15h6\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"tc-field full\">\n            <label>Corporate Email<\/label>\n            <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n              <input type=\"email\" name=\"email\" placeholder=\"jane@yourcompany.com\" required=\"\">\n              <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><rect x=\"2\" y=\"4\" width=\"20\" height=\"16\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><polyline points=\"2,4 12,13 22,4\"><\/polyline><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n          <div class=\"tc-field full\">\n            <label>Phone Number<\/label>\n            <div class=\"tc-input-wrap\">\n              <input type=\"number\" name=\"Phone\" placeholder=\"98765 43210\" required=\"\">\n              <svg class=\"tc-fi\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M22 16.92v3a2 2 0 01-2.18 2A19.79 19.79 0 013.09 4.18 2 2 0 015.07 2h3a2 2 0 012 1.72c.13.96.36 1.9.71 2.81a2 2 0 01-.45 2.11L9.09 9.91a16 16 0 006 6l1.27-1.27a2 2 0 012.11-.45c.91.35 1.85.58 2.81.71A2 2 0 0122 16.92z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <button type=\"submit\" class=\"tc-btn-submit\">\n          <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><path d=\"M22 2L11 13M22 2L15 22l-4-9-9-4 20-7z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n          Book My Free Demo\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"tc-trust\">\n          <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><rect x=\"3\" y=\"11\" width=\"18\" height=\"11\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><path d=\"M7 11V7a5 5 0 0110 0v4\"><\/path><\/svg>\n          Your data is safe &amp; never shared with third parties\n        <\/div>\n      <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script>document.getElementById('tc-page-source').value = window.location.href;<\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"If_You_Entered_Your_Details\"><\/span>If You Entered Your Details<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Entering credentials on a phishing page is the serious case, and speed decides the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Change that password immediately, and change it anywhere else you reused it. Then turn on multi-factor authentication. Next, sign out of all active sessions, because an attacker who captured your session may still hold access even after a password change. Most major services offer this under security settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/consumer.ftc.gov\/articles\/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The FTC&#8217;s advice after a scam<\/a> covers the same ground for personal accounts. Watch for an unexpected MFA prompt after this point. Attackers who hold your password will trigger one and hope you approve it. Never approve a prompt you did not start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then check what else changed, because <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/business-email-compromise-statistics-a-growing-cyber-threat-in-2025\/\">attackers rarely stop at the password<\/a>. Attackers often add a forwarding rule to the mailbox, so they keep reading your mail quietly. Check forwarding rules, recovery email addresses, and connected apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"If_You_Downloaded_a_File\"><\/span>If You Downloaded a File<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A downloaded file from a phishing link is riskier than the page itself. Keep the device off the network. Do not open the file, and do not try to delete it on a work machine, because the security team may need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Run a full scan from your security software. On a work device, hand it to IT rather than cleaning it yourself, since a proper check covers more than a scan does. If it is a personal device and you are unsure, a full reset is safer than hoping a scan caught everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_by_Device\"><\/span>What Happens by Device<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The basics after clicking a phishing link hold everywhere, though a few details differ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Device<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>What is different<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>First action<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Work laptop<\/td><td>IT can isolate and investigate it<\/td><td>Disconnect, then call IT<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Personal computer<\/td><td>You are the only responder<\/td><td>Disconnect, scan, change passwords<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>iPhone<\/td><td>Apps are tightly sandboxed<\/td><td>Close the page, change passwords<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Android<\/td><td>Sideloaded apps add risk<\/td><td>Close the page, check recent installs<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Shared or public computer<\/td><td>Others use the same session<\/td><td>Sign out everywhere, tell the owner<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pattern is the same throughout. Phones rarely get infected by a page alone, so the password matters more than the scan. On a work computer, the report matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Avoid_the_Next_One\"><\/span>How to Avoid the Next One<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most people click a phishing link because the message looked ordinary and they were busy. A few habits break that pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pause on urgency.<\/strong> Pressure to act fast is the most common lure, and <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/blog\/how-to-spot-a-phishing-email\/\">spotting it early<\/a> saves every step above.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Open sites from a bookmark<\/strong>, not from a link in a message.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Let a password manager fill the form.<\/strong> It will not autofill on a fake domain, so a blank field is a warning.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Treat unexpected MFA prompts as suspicious<\/strong>, even when they look routine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check the real destination<\/strong> before entering anything, since a convincing page proves nothing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spotting the next one gets easier with practice, because you learn what normal looks like in your own inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practice_Beats_Advice\"><\/span>Practice Beats Advice<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reading a checklist once will not change what you do under pressure. Repetition will, which is why safe practice works better than a policy reminder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regular <a href=\"https:\/\/threatcop.com\/phishing-awareness-and-simulation\">phishing simulations<\/a> put people in the same moment without the consequences. Over time, staff stop scanning for spelling mistakes and start checking the destination instead. They also learn that reporting is quick and nobody gets blamed, which is the habit that matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span>The Bottom Line<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One click is rarely the end of the story, and panic helps nobody. Work the order instead. Disconnect the device, resist entering anything on the page, and change the password for whatever account it imitated. Then turn on multi-factor authentication and watch the account for logins, forwarding rules, or messages you did not send. Finally, report it, even if you are confident nothing happened. Reporting is the step people skip out of embarrassment, and it is the only one that helps anybody besides you. Your report is what lets the same message be pulled from every other inbox before a colleague has the same bad minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"sp-easy-accordion-block sp-eab-regular-accordion alignwide\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-wrapper sp-eab-vertical-accordion sp-eab-fef420075b31\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion sp-eab-mode-vertical sp-eab-vertical-one sp-d-flex' data-accordion-settings=\"{&quot;mode&quot;:&quot;vertical&quot;,&quot;activeEvent&quot;:&quot;click&quot;,&quot;defaultAccordionOpen&quot;:&quot;first-item&quot;,&quot;selectedItemOpen&quot;:0,&quot;openMultiItemAtaTime&quot;:false,&quot;scrollToTopOnLoad&quot;:false,&quot;scrollToTopOnClick&quot;:false,&quot;accordionItemToUrl&quot;:false,&quot;animationEffect&quot;:false,&quot;applyAccessibility&quot;:true}\">\n        \t    \t\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-ba5d398ffa89\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-075b31\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-075b31'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat happens if you click a phishing link but do not enter anything?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-075b31'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually very little. The attacker learns the link works and may see your device type and rough location. The real risk starts when you enter credentials or open a downloaded file, so closing the tab is normally enough.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-9a26de0ad97f\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-075b31\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-075b31'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCan you get hacked just by clicking a link?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-075b31'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting hacked by clicking a phishing link alone is uncommon but possible. The page can exploit a browser or operating system that is badly out of date, which is rare on a patched device. Keeping software updated removes most of that risk, so updates matter more than they appear to.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-7ff6ac8f44d3\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-075b31\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-075b31'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat should you do if you clicked a phishing link on your phone?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-075b31'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Close the page and change the password for whatever account it imitated. Phones are harder to infect from a page alone, so the password matters most. On Android, also check for apps you do not recognize.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-3c3b698b4114\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-075b31\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-075b31'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShould you tell IT if you clicked a phishing link at work?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-075b31'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, always, and quickly. Reporting lets the team remove the same message from other inboxes and check whether anything else happened. Most organizations would rather hear about a false alarm than find out late.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tid =\"sp-eab-item-2e88a50b7cb6\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sp-eab-accordion-item eab-item-075b31\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sp-eab-accordion-item-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class='sp-eab-accordion-heading sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-heading-075b31'\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center eab-icon-position-end'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-start sp-d-flex sp-justify-left sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-title-subtitle-wrapper sp-d-flex'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-wrapper sp-d-flex sp-align-center'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-title-text'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow do you know if clicking caused damage?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-accordion-header-end eab-icon-animated'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class='sp-eab-expand-collapse-icon sp-d-block'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-expand-icon eab-icon-angle-down-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i class='sp-eab-collapse-icon eab-icon-angle-up-solid'><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- accordion body -->\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content eab-content-075b31'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-content-wrapper'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='sp-eab-accordion-body'>\n\t\t\t    \t\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Look for signs rather than guessing after clicking a phishing link. Check for unfamiliar logins, new mailbox forwarding rules, password reset emails you did not request, and messages sent from your account. Report anything odd rather than waiting to be sure.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clicking a phishing link rarely hands over your account on its own. See what actually happens, the first steps to take, and when it is serious.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":15574,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-security-insights","category-social-engineering"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Clicked a Phishing Link? What Happens and What to Do<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Clicking a phishing link rarely hands over your account on its own. 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