Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks are rising • Blisstech Solutions

BEC attacks illustrated. Image of a hacker standing behind a computer looking menacing

Business Email Compromise (BEC) has emerged as a significant threat to businesses worldwide in recent years. As of March 2025, there has been a staggering 30% increase in BEC attacks. In late February 2025, Microsoft Defender identified nearly 2 million phishing emails related to common BEC themes, averaging over 140,000 daily. The FBI reports BEC is among the most costly cyber threats, causing global losses over $50 billion.

What is BEC?

BEC is a sophisticated scam where cybercriminals use email to trick individuals into sending money or sharing confidential information. These emails often ‘appear’ to come from trusted sources, like company executives or known vendors, making the request appear legitimate.

Cybercriminals use different techniques to conduct BEC attacks. Typical methods involve sending false invoices, spoofing the email addresses of executives and managers, and hacking email accounts to request payments to fraudulent accounts. These techniques depend significantly on social engineering, making them challenging to identify.

The main goal of BEC attacks is financial gain. Cybercriminals seek to steal money or sensitive information for further scams. Remote working has increased BEC attacks by providing more opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities.

Protecting Your Business

Businesses can take several steps to protect themselves from BEC attacks. It is crucial to educate employees about cyber threats and how to identify suspicious emails. Strong security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and regular security training, can also help mitigate the risk. Additionally, businesses should monitor their networks for signs of compromise and have a response plan in place to deal with potential attacks.

If you would like to know more about protecting your business from the ever-growing threat of cyber attacks, please get in touch.

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How to create secure passwords

Weak passwords are one of the biggest security risks to your business.
Why?
Because cyber criminals are getting smarter than ever before. If they manage to crack just one password, they could gain access to your sensitive business data, financial information, or even gain control of your entire system.
Cyber criminals use automated tools to guess passwords, allowing them to try out millions of combinations in seconds. So, if you’re using something like “Password123” or “CompanyName2025”, you’re practically handing them the keys to your business.
A compromised password can lead to big issues, such as:
• Data breaches
• Financial losses
• Identity theft
• Reputation damage
But how do you create strong passwords without driving yourself (and your team) mad?
Think of your password like a secret recipe, where only you should know the ingredients. It should:
• Be at least 14 characters long (the longer, the better)
• Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
• Contain a few numbers and symbols (like @, $, %, or &)
• Not contain any common words or easily guessable information (like birthdays, names, or the word “password”)
Instead of using a single word, you could try a passphrase – a short, random sentence that only you would understand. For example, instead of “Sailing2025”, try something like “Coffee&CloudsAreGreat9!”. This is much harder to crack, yet still easy to remember.
You should also steer clear of these common mistakes:
• Using personal info (your name, birthday, business name, etc.)
• Reusing the same passwords across multiple accounts
• Using simple sequences (“123456” or “abcdef”)
• Storing passwords in an easily accessible place (like a sticky note on your desk)
If remembering unique passwords for every account sounds impossible, there is another option: Password managers. These generate strong passwords, store them securely and autofill them for you.
With a password manager, you only need to remember one strong master password for the manager app itself. The rest are encrypted and stored safely, reducing the risk of data breaches.
Even the strongest password isn’t foolproof, which is why multi-factor authentication (MFA) is also important. MFA requires a second form of verification, like a one-time code sent to your phone or generated from an authentication app.
If you have employees accessing your business systems, it’s a good idea to have a password policy in place to explain your rules and why they’re important. This should include:
• Unique passwords for each system and account
• Regular security training on password best practices
• Business-wide use of MFA for critical systems
• Scanning for compromised passwords regularly
By making password security a priority, you can reduce the chances of a cyber attack creating a nightmare for your business.
And if you need help making your business more secure, get in touch.

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What is BEC?

Protecting Your Business

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