Email is the backbone of modern business communication, but it’s also becoming a prime target for cybercriminals. Protecting your email isn’t just a good idea—it’s a necessity to safeguard your business from costly data breaches.
One of the fastest-growing threats today is Business Email Compromise (BEC). These attacks are cleverly designed to exploit trust within your organization, often leading to devastating financial and data losses.
What Is a BEC Attack?
BEC scams occur when attackers impersonate high-ranking personnel, such as CEOs, executives, or IT staff, to manipulate employees into sharing sensitive information or transferring funds. Shockingly, studies reveal that nearly 90% of these scams rely on this type of deception.
Why are they so effective? It’s simple—employees trust the sender and respond quickly, especially under the guise of authority or urgency.
Alarming Stats Highlight the Threat
The surge in BEC attacks is staggering. Recent analysis of 1.8 billion emails uncovered 208 million malicious messages, with over half (58%) categorized as BEC attempts. This makes BEC the leading email threat to businesses today.
Even more concerning, scammers often target junior employees who may hesitate to question authority or lack awareness of cyber risks.
Other Email Threats Persist
While BEC dominates the landscape, phishing scams and commercial spam remain prevalent, tricking people into revealing personal information like passwords. Combined, these threats now surpass traditional ransomware and malware attacks in frequency and impact.
How to Protect Your Business
The good news? Defending against these threats doesn’t have to be complex or costly.
- Train Your Team: Educate employees to scrutinize every email they receive.
- Pause Before Acting: If an email requests sensitive data or financial transactions, encourage your team to verify its authenticity—especially if it’s marked as urgent.
A little caution goes a long way in preventing devastating breaches.
Ready to Strengthen Your Security?
Protecting your business starts with awareness and the right tools. If you’re unsure where to begin or need expert guidance, we’re here to help.
Get in touch today to ensure your business stays secure.