Business Email Compromise

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If you are still wondering what other new enterprise network security risk may exist, the answer is Business Email Compromise (BEC). If the recent developments from 2016 in cybersecurity are considered as indicators, it will be seen that the traditional theft of credentials is not the game name anymore; Cybercriminals now source new techniques to access the cold cash directly.
Business E-mail Compromise (BEC) is an advanced fraudulent technique that targets businesses that work with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. It was formerly known as the “Man-in-the-E-mail Scam” but was recently renamed as “Business Email Compromise (BEC)” to focus on the “business angle” of this kind of scam and to avoid …show more content…

The first thing hackers try to see is if they can penetrate your network by spoofing the email addresses of the frontline executives – CEO, Financial administrators, Director of Finance etc. The notable thing about BEC is that it involves the impersonation of a prominent business stakeholder to extract or extort funds and important information about a business. Often times, the victims believe they are carrying out a routine transaction or a business process.
How it Works
BEC criminals start by equipping themselves with relevant information about the inner working processes of the target company and valuable information about selected employees – usually business front liners. This information can be gotten through various sources using ‘Social Engineering’ techniques.
Target employee receives a well-crafted email that appears to come from the CEO or top administrative personnel requesting for a wire transfer; such emails may likely receive less scrutiny due to the how legitimate it looks also because they do not differ from the normal emails handled every day. The employee, convinced that the request is legitimate, unwittingly processes the transfer of the requested sum to the requesting criminal’s …show more content…

confirmed legitimate.
3. Avoid the use of free web-based e-mail accounts e.g. Gmail, Yahoo mail etc. to establish a company e-mail account instead establish a company domain name.
4. Be careful with what is being posted on social media and company websites, especially about job duties/descriptions, hierarchal information, and out of office details.
5. Be suspicious of requests for secrecy or pressure to take action quickly.
6. Consider additional IT and financial security procedures, including the implementation of an ‘Out of Band Communication channel’ such as telephone calls, to verify significant transactions.
7. Delete Spam mails immediately and report such mails from unknown parties. DO NOT open spam e-mail, click on links in the e-mail, or open attachments. These often contain malware that will give subjects access to your computer system.
8. Forward vs. Reply: Do not use the “Reply” option to respond to any business e-mails. Instead, use the “Forward” option and either type in the correct e-mail address or select it from the e-mail address book to ensure the intended recipient’s correct e-mail address is

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