Email Breaches Remain a Costly Threat
You would need to be new to the internet to be unaware of threats to cybersecurity. With Internet World Stats reporting that 69% of the world is now online, that naïveté is increasingly unlikely. But is your business doing all it can to prevent email breaches? We know better than to use “123456” or “letmein” as passwords, but the threat remains.rnrnNo matter the industry, global businesses are always at risk. Scammers send emails and set up spoof domains to get employees to enter access credentials online. Or criminals simply buy leaked emails and passwords from a previous data breach.rnrnOnce they’ve gained access, they can easily hide their activity. Setting up a simple “forward all email” rule gives them access to business communications. They can also see what services you use from the emails you receive.rnrnFor example, they can identify which payroll software your business uses. Then, they go to that site and say they “forgot the password.” The reset instructions go to the email they can already access. So, they follow the steps, delete the email, and take control of the account.rnrnCriminals will also impersonate you and send invoices to your vendors or customers. They might send an invoice that looks like your genuine ones, but they end up paying the crooks.rnrnThese attacks are working for cybercriminals. So, don’t expect email breach attacks to go away any time soon. Instead, take action to reduce the risk of compromise.rn
How to protect your business
rnEducating your employees is an important first step. You can take all the steps we outline next, but humans will remain your weakest link. You'll want to:rn- rn
- institute an effective training program to safeguard your business; rn
- teach employees about the risks; rn
- emphasize the importance of strong passwords and good cyber hygiene. rn
- Foster a culture of compliance and individual sense of responsibility for cybersecurity. rn