Would You Approve This Login?
MAXINESCORNER · INTERACTIVE TRAINING SAMPLE
A quick workplace cybersecurity exercise. Read the situation, choose your response, and open it to see the feedback.
This is a fictional simulation. No login, password or verification code is needed.
Your phone buzzes. Did you request this?
You are at your desk when an authenticator app on your phone asks you to approve a sign-in to your work email. You have not tried to sign in.
FICTIONAL PHONE NOTIFICATION
Approve sign-in?
Account: Your work email
Request: A new sign-in attempt
Did you just try to sign in?
1. What would you do first?
A. Approve it so the notification stops.
Try another response. Approving an unexpected request could give someone access to your account. Repeated prompts can pressure people into approving one. Do not approve a request you did not initiate.
B. Deny it and report it to IT/security.
Best response. Deny the unexpected request. Report it through your organization’s established IT or security channel and follow its procedures. The prompt may indicate an unauthorized attempt; it does not by itself prove someone has already accessed the account.
C. Leave it unanswered and continue working.
There is a better response. Leaving it unanswered avoids approving that request, but the security team still needs to know. Deny it if the app allows, then report the unexpected activity through a trusted channel.
2. A caller says, “I’m with IT. Approve it so I can fix your account.”
You did not request support. Choose your next step.
A. Approve it because the caller knows my name.
Try again. Knowing your name does not verify the caller’s identity. Do not approve the sign-in or share a verification code because an unexpected caller asks.
B. End the call and contact IT using the usual help-desk channel.
Best response. Verify independently using your organization’s directory, established help desk or another known channel. Do not rely on contact details supplied by the unexpected caller. Report both the call and the sign-in prompt.
3. What if you already tapped Approve?
A. Report it promptly and follow the security team’s instructions.
Best response. Tell IT/security that you approved an unexpected request and when it happened. Follow their account-security and incident-response instructions. Prompt reporting gives the team a chance to investigate and limit potential harm.
B. Wait to see whether anything unusual happens.
Try another response. Signs of unauthorized access may not be visible to you. Report promptly instead of waiting for obvious damage.
Remember: deny, verify, report.
Only approve sign-in requests you initiated. Verify unexpected support contacts independently. Report suspicious activity through your organization’s established channels.
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About this sample and further reading
This original MAXINESCORNER workplace example demonstrates interactive instructional content. It is a short learning sample, not a certification course. Follow your organization’s policies and security procedures.
Further reading: MITRE ATT&CK: Multi-Factor Authentication Request Generation.