Bridging the Gap: Why AI Alone is Not Enough to Stop BEC Attacks

If you’re an IT professional navigating the complex world of email security, you’ve realized that AI detection isn’t always enough. That’s where Mimecast’s expertise comes in. Our webinar, “Bridging the Gap: Why AI Alone Is Not Enough to Stop BEC Attacks,” dives deep into the increasingly sophisticated threat of BEC and how advanced, multi-layered solutions like Mimecast’s can protect your organization. Here’s why you can’t afford to miss it.

Why BEC protection is an urgent priority

Our webinar focuses on increasing BEC attacks and why AI alone is insufficient to combat them. Highlighting alarming statistics, such as a $2.9 billion loss in 2022 due to BEC, these attacks are challenging to detect because they often lack traditional markers like URLs or attachments and can originate from compromised legitimate accounts. 

BEC attacks don’t just cost money — they can cost your reputation. Whether it’s a fraudulent payment request, sensitive data leak or operational disruption, the consequences of a successful attack can be devastating.

Why AI-only solutions fall short

While AI and machine learning bring tremendous advancements to email security, standalone AI solutions for BEC detection often fail to deliver the protection organizations need. Common challenges include:

• High false positives: AI-only systems frequently flag non-malicious emails, leading to wasted time for IT teams and unnecessary interruptions for users.
• Post-delivery remediation: Some AI solutions allow users to interact with malicious emails before they’re flagged.
• Limited social engineering detection: AI models sometimes struggle to identify subtle cues in highly targeted, socially engineered emails. 

Investing in advanced security solutions 

To effectively combat BEC attacks, organizations should invest in advanced security solutions that surpass traditional email filtering and malware detection. These solutions should utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze email communication patterns and detect anomalies that may indicate a BEC attempt. 

Implementing strict authentication protocols, such as multi-factor authentication, can prevent unauthorized access to email accounts. Regular security awareness training for employees is also crucial, as it helps them recognize and respond to potential BEC threats. By fostering a culture of security awareness, organizations can reduce the likelihood of successful attacks. 

Mimecast examines 1.8 billion emails daily

Mimecast's strategy for combating BEC is built on over 20 years of experience and extensive data analysis. By examining 1.8-billion emails daily, Mimecast has trained its NLP models to accurately distinguish between legitimate messages and potential threats. This extensive data collection and analysis enables Mimecast to continually refine its models, ensuring high accuracy and effectiveness in identifying and blocking malicious emails.

The bottom line

Real-time threat detection and response are key challenges when addressing BEC attacks. Many solutions operate on a post-delivery remediation model, analyzing and flagging emails after they reach the recipient's inbox. This creates a vulnerability window. Organizations should implement inline protection mechanisms to minimize user interaction with malicious emails and enhance overall security. 

BEC attacks won’t wait for organizations to catch up. Staying ahead means adopting a proactive and comprehensive strategy to protect your organization, its people and its data. Don’t just react to email threats — stop them.

Want to know more? Discover how Mimecast can help you bridge the gap in your email security.