Prevent business email compromise threats

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a sophisticated cyber threat where attackers impersonate trusted individuals within an organization. They then trick employees into taking harmful actions. These may include initiating a financial transaction, clicking on a malicious link, or divulging sensitive information. Unlike traditional spam, a BEC scam relies heavily on social engineering rather than malware.

Attackers use a mix of deception, technology, and psychology in a BEC attempt. These campaigns are typically well-researched and highly targeted. Attackers use publicly available information or stolen personal information to increase credibility.

Some common techniques include:

• Email account compromise: Gaining control of an executive’s or vendor’s inbox to monitor and manipulate email threads.
• Phishing email campaigns: Delivering malicious emails that appear legitimate, often impersonating a trusted contact or brand.
• Spoofed email addresses: Mimicking trusted domains with subtle changes to trick recipients into thinking the message is safe.
• Fake domain registration: Registering domains that look nearly identical to the organization's real domain.
• Social engineering: Convincing a targeted employee to bypass authentication protocols or act quickly without verification.

These tactics often bypass traditional filters, making cybersecurity awareness and layered protection essential.

A BEC scheme often zeroes in on individuals with access to financial systems or confidential data. These targeted employees might include:

• Executives or C-level leaders (frequent targets of CEO fraud)
• Finance and accounts payable teams (responsible for processing payments)
• HR personnel (with access to personal information and employee records)
• Procurement staff (managing vendor relationships and invoices)

Attackers tailor their messages to the responsibilities and access level of each recipient. Doing so increases the likelihood of a successful exploit. In some cases, a suspicious email may go unnoticed because it mimics routine requests, making it all the more dangerous.

Mitigating business email compromise attacks requires a proactive, layered approach that combines technical defenses with user vigilance. Below are key tools and technologies that help protect your organization against the evolving tactics of BEC scammers:

1. Email Authentication Protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)These foundational authentication protocols verify the sender's identity and help detect forged email addresses. When properly configured, they reduce the risk of email spoofing, a tactic often used in BEC scams and phishing attacks.
2. Advanced Email Filtering and Secure Email Gateways (SEGs)Modern secure email gateways use AI-powered detection to block malicious emails, phishing emails, and other suspicious content before it reaches the targeted employee. These filters analyze message metadata, context, and patterns to stop threats early.
3. Managed Detection and Response (MDR)Managed detection services provide real-time monitoring of internal and external communications to detect signs of a compromised account or an ongoing BEC attempt. MDR tools help security teams act quickly to contain damage and prevent unauthorized financial transactions or data loss.
4. Security Awareness TrainingHuman error is often the weak link. Ongoing training helps employees recognize suspicious emails, verify unusual requests, and avoid divulging sensitive information. Simulated phishing attacks can further reinforce vigilance across the organization.
5. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Zero Trust Principles

Adding MFA ensures that even if login credentials are stolen, access to systems remains protected. Combined with a Zero Trust framework, this approach limits the damage from a BEC scam by minimizing lateral movement from a compromised account to high-value systems or sensitive information.

BEC protection tools work best when integrated into a larger cybersecurity framework. Mimecast’s BEC protection analyzes message context, user behavior, and domain legitimacy to stop BEC scammers before their messages reach inboxes.

To get the most out of your tools:

1. Continuously tune detection rules to match evolving threats
2. Combine automated alerts with human analysis through managed detection
3. Apply policy controls that adapt based on the sender, sensitivity level, and likelihood of impersonation
4. Supported by AI and enhanced by human judgment, this layered approach reduces reliance on end-user decisions. It also provides security teams with greater visibility into each BEC attempt.

Still, even the best AI-powered solutions can miss novel attack techniques. That’s why effective business email compromise protection requires more than AI alone.