Free business safety checklist
Before opening a shared file
Recognise the sender? Still check the request.
For anyone receiving Microsoft 365, SharePoint, OneDrive or other file-sharing invitations at work.
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Five checks to use at work
- Check the contextWere you expecting this file, from this person, for this job?
- Confirm another wayVerify unexpected shares through a separate trusted channel, not replies in the same thread.
- Open your usual appWhere possible, open Microsoft 365 or your file-sharing app directly instead of an unexpected email sign-in shortcut.
- Stop at surprise requestsPause at unexpected login, MFA approval or install-software requests.
- Report safelyUse your organisation’s reporting process. Do not circulate the suspicious link or attachment.
Already clicked, signed in or downloaded?
- Clicked: stop interacting and tell IT what happened.
- Entered a password or approved MFA: seek urgent IT account recovery, including reset and session revocation.
- Ran a download or suspect infection: disconnect from the network and contact IT.
Sources and further reading
- Microsoft: file-hosting services misused for phishing
- Microsoft: protect yourself from phishing
- ACSC: recover from business email compromise
Primary guidance checked in October 2026. Your organisation’s procedures and IT team should guide the response to a real incident.