Beyond the Inbox: The State of Email Security

Beyond the Inbox: The State of Email Security

Email security is in a continuous state of evolution. While the increase in volume presents one daunting concern, the added dedication to research and contextual messaging has significantly increased financial burdens. Whereas misspelled words and generic cliché scams were a previously common theme, the new wave of phishing emails now skillfully draw on human emotion and reasoning.

Threat actors understand users have adapted through experience and are more vigilant to the obvious. By focusing on deception, specifically the combination of relevancy and more notably urgency, users are put in a tough position where they have to weigh potentially missed opportunities.?

This objection is only compounded by the added use of open-source tools across the expanding technology stack. Among these is the rapid utilization of generative AI and automation. Mass phishing campaigns are not only easier to engineer at scale, but employ data scraping to include personalized references to colleagues, third parties, and even internal business operations.?

While ChatGPT requires trial and error to fulfill malicious prompt requests, the increasingly notorious WormGPT has contributed to a drastic increase in Business Email Compromise. Disturbingly, the 7.4% increase in BEC from 2022 to 2023 amounted to an overwhelming $2.9 billion in losses globally.?

Native email security tools from Microsoft and Google have strengthened their reputation analysis thus increasing filtering rates, but a growing attack surface has presented a more complex challenge. In addition to malicious BEC attacks that aim to achieve financial gain through fraudulent wire transfers, the emphasis on account takeovers is at an all-time high. Email security is, now more than ever, an integrated effort that relies on strategic planning across mobility, user access, collaboration, and secure web protection.

Visibility and granular control are crucial to closing the gap left by traditional email filtering and IT leadership must pay close attention to several domain specific attacks:

  • Malicious QR Codes (Quishing)?
  • MFA Spoofing?
  • Deceptive URL Service Links?
  • Stolen Passwords from Third-Party Data Leaks?
  • Fraudulent Activity Across Collaboration | OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, & More.

Threat actors are more prepared than ever to find their way past edge security and similarly use tactics like inbox delete rules or mail forwarding to hide their tracks once they are in. The potential target objectives can not only vary by organization, but desired outcome. Where one account takeover account may amount to a rerouted invoice, another will come in the form of a large-scale supply chain attack exploiting trusted third-party relationships.?

For this reason, the current state of email security requires defense in depth. Users must be continuously educated on how to stay vigilant against deceitful language and maintain a guarded temperament to incoming messages. Similarly, security tools must continue applying a zero-trust methodology to reduce the burden on user attentiveness through:?

Effective Block Rates | Thwart malicious emails before inbox arrival?

Sanitization | Extract malware and ransomware to deliver clean files?

Data Loss Prevention | Limit data exposure via email, collaboration suites, and malicious links?

Integration & Authentication | Mitigate the risk of account takeover before and after an attack?

InfoSystems, your partner in cyber security posture, addresses these challenges two-fold. Through a tailored user awareness training program, we provide an engaging approach to understanding the next evolution of threats and how your business can stay sharp-eyed to sophisticated phishing emails. Though, it is through our refined partner network that we ensure layered defense across your technology stack.?

Among our marquee partner network, InfoSystems has identified Checkpoint Harmony as a trusted and reliable solution for next-generation email security. In addition to a unified platform that bolsters protection across SaaS, endpoints, and remote access, Harmony Email & Collaboration integrates the core tenants of defense in depth beyond Microsoft Defender for 365 and Google Workspace Email Security.?

While Harmony Email & Collaboration has demonstrated an industry leading block rate, as recognized by NSS Labs, the solutions ability to examine ongoing user activity and reduce insider threats has set it apart from a crowded landscape.?

Focusing solely on email traffic has created a blind spot that fails to identify persisting account takeovers. Fortunately, organizations that implement Harmony can benefit from retroactive protection by identifying accounts previously compromised. A major reason for this is Harmony’s emphasis on context by way of understanding relationships and “normal conversation patterns”. Because of Harmony's wide integration capabilities with SIEM platforms and Active Directory, user accounts can be disabled with ease.?

InfoSystems' goal is to continue building awareness around Business Email Compromise and advanced threats hindering workflow. In addition to our cyber security services, we are proud to host several events across the Southeast this summer.

If you would like to attend an event in Tennessee, Georgia, or North Carolina this summer, please let us know. As always, we are here to be as helpful as possible across the cyber landscape. Do not hesitate to reach out if we can provide guidance or identify the right solution for your business today.?

With InfoSystems Cyber Solutions, you don’t have to worry. We’ll make sure you have what you need to prevent threats. And if something gets through, we’ll handle it. So, now that you know the importance of cybersecurity, take a deep breath, assess what you have and haven’t done to protect against cyber-attacks, and take the next step…

Here’s how to get started:

  1. Schedule an intro meeting
  2. Create a plan
  3. Hire us and get exceptional results

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