The 10-second phishing filter: Train your brain before the boss fight

This article introduces a rapid, five-step mental filter to identify phishing by checking for unexpected context, artificial urgency, mismatched sender addresses, unusual requests, and demands for secrecy. If any red flag is detected, the author advises "going sideways" to verify the request through a separate, trusted communication channel rather than engaging with the suspicious message. This proactive approach aims to make security verification an automatic habit across all digital platforms, including email, phone calls, and messaging apps.