Why you need email threat protection
Email threats are constantly evolving. As email has become central to business communications, attackers have continued to find new ways of using email to breach corporate security. From more routine email threats like viruses and spam to advanced targeted attacks like phishing, spear-phishing and wire transfer phishing, organizations must combat an increasingly varied onslaught of attacks.
The key to thwarting existing and emerging email threats is to adopt a multi-layered approach to email security. While there are a great many solutions available for stopping an individual security threat, deploying and managing multiple point solutions can be prohibitively costly and complex, adding additional strain to already overburdened IT teams. That's why so many leading organizations today turn to Mimecast's comprehensive email security services to successfully fend off various types of email threats.
Types of email security threats
Email remains a primary channel for cyberattacks.As hackers become more sophisticated, email attacks increasingly combine malicious content with impersonation and social engineering.
Common types of email threats include:
- Malware: Software designed to damage systems, steal data, or gain unauthorized access to critical resources.
- Phishing and spear phishing: A phishing email impersonates a trusted person or organization to convince the recipient to share information, open an attachment, or click a malicious link. Spear phishing targets a specific person or team using more personalized details.
- Business email compromise: A BEC attack uses impersonation, spoofing, or a compromised account to trick employees into transferring funds or sharing sensitive information.
- Ransomware : Malware that blocks access to files or systems containing important intellectual property until a payment is demanded.
- Email spoofing: A form of email threat where attackers fabricate email headers to give the illusion they have originated from trusted sources. Individuals are tricked into divulging sensitive information.
- Account takeover: Hackers use stolen credentials to access a legitimate mailbox and launch email attacks from a trusted internal account.
- Spam: These are irrelevant email messages sent on large scales to unexpecting recipients. Unwanted spam emails can reduce productivity and act as a delivery channel for phishing, scams, or malware.
- Insider threats: Sensitive information may be exposed through malicious activity, human error, or messages sent to the wrong recipient.
These threats often overlap. For example, a phishing attack may lead to account takeover, which can then be used to launch a BEC attack or spread malware internally.
