{"id":"sec-hr-fake-applicant-attachment","audience":"hr","category":"security","track":"security","technique":"context","title":"Spot a malicious job application before opening it","free":false,"task":"A recruiter on your team asks if she can open this application. Reply with a first line 'Don't open it yet', then exactly 3 numbered red flags quoting the email, then one line starting 'Instead:' that follows your recruiting security rule. Plain text, under 90 words.","materialLabel":"The application email and your rule (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"From: Daniel Marsh <d.marsh.careers@fastmail.example.net>\nTo: jobs@coralbay-health.example.org\nSubject: Application - Senior Accountant (Ref CB-2291)\nAttachment: Daniel_Marsh_Resume.zip (password: 2291)\n\nDear Hiring Team,\n\nPlease find my resume attached for the Senior Accountant role. For privacy, the file is in a password-protected zip; the password is 2291. When you open the document, please click \"Enable Content\" so the formatting displays correctly.\n\nI'm available for an interview this week and look forward to hearing from you.\n\nBest regards,\nDaniel Marsh\n\n---\nRecruiting security rule (HR handbook 6.4):\n- Open resumes only inside the applicant tracking system (ATS), which scans files and shows a safe preview.\n- Ask applicants with problem files to re-apply through the careers page.\n- Forward suspicious applications to security@coralbay-health.example.org using the Report button.\n\nNote: the Senior Accountant role (CB-2291) is real and open. Personal email addresses are normal for applicants.","rules":[{"type":"numberedItems","count":3},{"type":"plainText"},{"type":"maxWords","max":90}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Flagging normal things","why":"The AI calls the personal email address suspicious, which is normal for job seekers.","fix":"Say: \"Personal emails and the job reference are normal. Flag only real warning signs.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Generic safety advice","why":"The AI says 'scan it with antivirus' instead of your team's rule.","fix":"Add: \"Use handbook 6.4: ATS only, re-apply through the careers page.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"No clear answer first","why":"The AI explains before saying whether to open it.","fix":"Ask: \"First line: Don't open it yet.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Too many red flags","why":"The AI lists every possible warning sign in a long list.","fix":"Be exact: \"Exactly 3 numbered red flags.\"","checks":["numberedItems"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"AI is bad at counting. Ask for \"under 90 words\" and it often lands well over.","fix":"Ask for less than the limit and cap each line: \"each line under 15 words, under 70 words total.\"","checks":["maxWords"]},{"title":"Letting markdown in","why":"AI adds bold and headings by default, and in a chat reply they show up as stray symbols.","fix":"Add: \"Plain text only, no bold, no headings.\"","checks":["plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Puts the answer first","patterns":["first line","don'?t open","start with"]},{"label":"Asks for quotes","patterns":["quote","from the email","exact"]},{"label":"Uses your rule","patterns":["ats","handbook","careers page","rule"]},{"label":"Says exactly how many","patterns":["\\b3\\b.{0,25}(red flag|flag|line)","exactly (3|three)"]},{"label":"Asks for plain text","patterns":["plain","no bold","no markdown","no formatting","no headings"]}],"hint":"Recruiters get files from strangers every day, so the advice must fit their job. Give the AI your rule, say what's normal, and ask for the answer first.","rubricLabels":["The first line is 'Don't open it yet' (or exactly that wording)","The 3 red flags quote the email: the password-protected zip ('password: 2291' or 'Daniel_Marsh_Resume.zip'), 'Enable Content', and one more such as the zip hiding the file from scanning; none says the personal email address or the job reference is a red flag","The 'Instead:' line says to ask him to re-apply through the careers page so it goes into the ATS, and/or report it with the Report button"]}