Over a billion individuals worldwide use email as their primary professional communication. Unfortunately, due to the widespread usage of emails, the email system is very vulnerable to cyberattacks. Email is typically the entry point for criminals into a company. Because email is frequently the weakest link in your security defenses, hackers continuously develop new ways to get past your security. As a result, the threat environment is constantly changing.
This article will go over the most common types of email attacks.
Types of email attacks
- Phishing: Phishing email attacks occur when a hacker sends fraudulent or fake emails that appear to be from a legitimate or reliable source. These phishing emails contain malicious files or links. The hacker attempts to deceive or lure users into clicking a link or opening a file that directs users to a phony webpage that gathers credentials such as login credentials or disclosing personal or financial information.
- Spyware: Spyware is malicious software that enters a user's system without the user's awareness using an app installation package, a file transfer, or a malicious website. It gathers data from the user's system and sends it to third parties without their consent. It also compromises their confidential information, such as login credentials, account PINs, credit card numbers, etc.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC): Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks are a form of phishing where the hackers use a corporate email address and pretend to be more credible to target particular people within organizations. In this attack, the hacker deceives the victim into transferring money to their account.
- Spear phishing: Spear phishing is an email attack that targets an organization's specific person or group to steal sensitive and confidential information, such as login credentials or banking information, and other malicious purposes. Before sending the email, the hacker investigates the target's interests.
- Whaling: Whaling is a type of highly targeted phishing attack that targets senior executives at a business, such as the CEO, CFO, CTO, and managing director. By sending them an authentic email and a convincing website, the hackers persuade them to take specific actions. This attack poses a serious threat to enterprise email security.
- Spam: Spam email, commonly referred to as junk email, is any unsolicited or promotional email that includes malicious links, viruses, or misleading advertising. Hackers send spam emails masquerading as reputable senders like customers, business partners, or suppliers, luring users into downloading malicious files that contain malware.
- Vishing: Vishing is a form of voice scam where the hacker makes a voice call to initiate the attack or can also send a recorded message that sounds official. Hackers exploit Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to make fraudulent phone calls and pretend to be legitimate persons to access user’s sensitive information.
How can InfosecTrain help you?
Email security is one of the most critical
concerns since hackers and cybercriminals are increasingly using it as a method
of attack. Therefore, it is necessary for businesses and individuals to protect
their email accounts from significant cyber threats. InfosecTrain provides different
cybersecurity and cloud security certification courses that will help you to
know about preventing email attacks and other attack vectors. You can enroll in
our Cybersecurity Orientation
Program and Certified Ethical Hacker
certification training courses.
