Stop! And think, before you act on that email • Blisstech Solutions

How many times a day do you respond to an email without really thinking about its contents?

Maybe it’s a request for some information. Perhaps it’s asking you to pay an invoice. All mundane stuff. But no sooner than you’ve hit send, you’ve fallen victim to a Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack.

A BEC attack occurs when a cybercriminal gains access to your business email account and uses it to trick your employees, customers, or partners into sending them money or sensitive information. They do this by impersonating someone senior and abusing their position of trust.

It might sound like something that only happens to big corporations, but that’s not the case.

According to the FBI, small and medium-sized businesses are just as vulnerable to BEC attacks as larger ones. In fact, these attacks have cost businesses more than $26 billion over the past few years.

And Microsoft brings more bad news, with its recent findings showing that they’re getting both more destructive and harder to detect.

So, what can you do to protect your business from BEC attacks? Here’s our advice:

  1. Educate your employees: They are the first line of defence against BEC attacks. They need to know how to spot phishing emails, suspicious requests, and fake invoices. Train them regularly on cyber security best practices, like strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and secure file sharing.
  2. Use advanced email security solutions: Basic email protections like antispam and antivirus software are no longer enough to block BEC attacks. You need more advanced solutions that use artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and prevent these attacks in real time. Look for email security providers that offer features like domain-based message authentication, reporting, and conformance (DMARC), sender policy framework (SPF), and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM).
  3. Set up transaction verification procedures: Before transferring funds or sensitive information, establish a verification process that confirms the authenticity of the request. This could include a phone call, video conference, or face-to-face meeting. Don’t rely on email alone to confirm these types of requests.
  4. Monitor your email traffic: Regularly monitor your email traffic for anomalies and unusual patterns. Look for signs like unknown senders, unusual login locations, changes to email settings or forwarding rules, and unexpected emails. Make sure you have a clear protocol in place for reporting and responding to any suspicious activity.
  5. Keep your software up to date: Ensure that you’re always running the latest version of your operating system, email software, and other software applications. These updates often include vital security patches that address known vulnerabilities.

BEC attacks are becoming more common and more sophisticated, but with the right awareness, training, and security solutions, you can protect your business.

Don’t wait until it’s too late – take action today to keep your business safe.

If you want to know more about how to protect your business from cyber threats, our team is always ready to help you. Give us a call.

More Content

Tech Tip: Send quick Teams messages from anywhere

We all know that Teams messaging is a great way to communicate with others, but it can be disruptive if it interrupts our flow. Even though Teams messaging is a great way to communicate with colleagues, it can easily break your concentration and flow. You might find...

Data loss? Save yourself a mighty headache

What would you do if all of your business data were lost? You might panic or stare at the screen in disbelief. However, if you're prepared, you'll have a safety net in place in the form of reliable and tested data backup. This means you can quickly restore your data...
Are your employees your security’s weakest link?

Are your employees your security’s weakest link?

Great employees have the same goals you do. But while they’re working hard to help your business succeed, they could accidentally be opening the door to cyber criminals. Here’s how to make your team your business’s strongest defence…

Tech Tip: Using Microsoft Teams Keyboard Shortcuts

Microsoft Teams is a great productivity tool. It has many features that can help you be more productive and speed up repetitive tasks. One way to be even more productive with Microsoft Teams is to use the shortcut keys. The shortcut keys can help you quickly access...
Shady character in a mask sitting by computer screens

A new zero-day vulnerability in Windows

Introduction A new zero-day vulnerability in Windows Search has been discovered which can be exploited to automatically open a malicious search window containing remotely-hosted malware executables. The vulnerability is triggered when a user launches a Word document,...
Heads up: You need to update Windows 11 by this deadline

Heads up: You need to update Windows 11 by this deadline

Have you updated to the latest version of Windows 11 yet? If not, it’s time to act – Microsoft has announced when it will end support for older versions (and it’s soon!).

Are your people Christmas shopping from work?

Almost half of people with social media accounts admit to falling for shopping scams. If your team are shopping at work, is your business protected?

Why all businesses should adopt MFA now

Years ago, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) used to be called 2FA, or Two Factor Authentication.  This was made up of: Something you have, like a device that can generate a one-time password (OTP). Something you know, like a password. MFA has extended things meaning...

Secure your data under lock and key

Your business's data is invaluable. Without it, you wouldn’t have much of a business, would you? So that data must be kept safe… and one of the best ways to do that is to encrypt it. That way, even if a cybercriminal gets their hands on it, your data is worthless to...

Bonus Guide: The Crowdstrike Outage Explained

Download our free guide summarising everything you need to know about the recent Crowdstrike outage. This is written specifically for business owners and managers. Inside, you’ll discover: What CrowdStrike is What happened on Friday 19th July 2024 The impact of the...
Share This
Contact
Love Lane
Cleobury Mortimer
Shropshire DY14 8PE

01299 382 321
[email protected]
Copyright © 2024 Blisstech Solution Ltd
Registered No: 08125391 VAT No : 307 5490 05