The cloud offers endless perks for us to enjoy; however, the constant connectivity and real-time sync it provides also functions as an incentive for malicious hackers to steal your information and breach your organization’s data. In fact, email phishing is now the most common form of cyber crime. At the end of 2022, spam accounted for over 45% of all email traffic—email security threats continue to rise and aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Not only are email security trends indicating more threats, the data breaches that can follow keep getting more and more costly to organizations. If your data is breached whether through email or a different method, the average expense to your organization once it’s all said and done is now over four million dollars.
In order to keep your organization safer, stronger, and smarter, you need to know what strategies attackers are using, along with the latest email security trends and how you can best protect yourself, your people, and your data
When looking at email security trends, you have to first look at the methods being used to breach organizations and steal their data. We mentioned phishing, the most common approach, which you’re likely already familiar with. Phishing comes in the form of an email that looks like it’s from a trust source, like a bank or a company name you might recognize. The content of the email asks for sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers. Manipulating, social engineering tactics are often used in phishing emails.
For example, It might be an imposter trying to convince you that your credit card account has been hacked. It then might ask you to prove your identity by entering your password, or even social security number. Some other email security threats include:
These are the tried and true tactics, but the way attackers are using them are starting to change as technology evolves.
From new ways to infect devices with malware, to the opportunity to exploit the vulnerability of remote workers and the cloud, here are the latest strategies attackers are using to threaten your organization.
Supply Chain Attacks: These attacks take a sneaky approach by infecting a legitimate software update with malware.
Ransomware: This malware that encrypts a victim's data and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Although the use of ransomware isn’t entirely new, it’s on the rise and targeting critical infrastructure like hospitals and energy companies.
Deepfake Technology: Deepfake technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and it can be used for malicious purposes, such as creating fake videos or audio to spread disinformation or to impersonate individuals.
We expect the sophistication level of phishing to increase in the future as cybercriminals leverage AI-powered tools like chatbots to automate and enhance their attacks. This may involve integrating voice and video features into text-based phishing scams to make them more convincing and successful.
Phishing emails are typically designed to trick recipients into divulging sensitive information so that the attacker can be equipped to steal personal or financial information, such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or social security numbers. This information can then be used for identity theft, financial fraud, or other malicious purposes. In some cases, phishing emails contain malware that, once installed, can be used to spy, steal data, or take control of the device.
Several email security trends that are currently shaping the way individuals and organizations approach email security as cybersecurity experts look to expand their efforts to protect inboxes from outsiders. Here are some examples:
Machine learning and artificial intelligence are being used to improve email security by analyzing email traffic and identifying patterns that indicate a potential threat. Just as AI can be used as a threat, and can be leveraged as protection.
Cloud-based email security solutions are becoming increasingly popular, as they can provide real-time protection and can be easily scaled to meet the needs of an organization. Our partners, Avanon, are your go-to trusted professionals for malicious attacks from hitting your inbox, your people, and your organization.
The zero-trust security model assumes every user and device is a potential threat, and implements strict access controls to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive information.
Advanced threat protection solutions are becoming more sophisticated, using technologies such as sandboxing and behavioral analysis to detect and mitigate advanced threats like zero-day attacks.
Many organizations are recognizing the importance of educating employees and requiring them to learn email security best practices, such as how to identify phishing emails and avoid falling victim to social engineering attacks.
It's important to be aware of these email security threats and take appropriate measures to protect yourself, such as using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, avoiding opening suspicious emails or links, and regularly updating your antivirus software.
At Rutter, we offer a range of solutions and services to help organizations protect themselves from email-related threats. From employee training and awareness programs to advanced threat protection technologies, we have the expertise and experience to help you safeguard your organization's email communications.
Don't let email-related incidents compromise your organization's security and reputation. Contact us today.