Email and corporate collaboration tools are among the main vectors of cyberattacks
Phishing via email remains one of the main attack vectors for digital crimes and, consequently, the priority entry point for cybercriminals. In 2023, almost half of the threats blocked by Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, took place via email.
This type of infiltration has been a concern for companies as the use of collaborative tools such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace grows. Studies show that more than 901% of cyberattacks start with phishing, which is why it is so important to understand how these attacks are carried out, how to identify them, and what to do to increase the protection of the attack surface.
“Email is the company’s most important attack vector, the easiest entry point, because using social engineering all employees are potential targets, from the administrative assistant to the company’s highest executive or advisor,” points out Felippe Barros, Cyber Security Executive at Trend Micro Brazil.
In 2024, the average cost of a data breach jumped to $4.88 million, up $101 million from last year and the highest level ever, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Bridge Report, which is based on data compiled by the Ponemon Institute. In total, the report analyzed the experiences of 604 organizations and 3,556 business cybersecurity leaders who had been impacted by a breach.
This growth was driven by increased costs in the event of successful attacks, including operational downtime, lost customers, and the cost of post-breach responses such as hiring consulting firms and paying regulatory fines. The research also shows that organizations that applied AI and automation to security prevention had the greatest impact on reducing the cost of a breach, saving an average of US$1.4T 2.22 million compared to those that did not implement these technologies.
Trend Micro's executive points out that browsing the digital environment requires constant vigilance, as the internet is a veritable minefield. “Cyber attacks are not isolated incidents. They have the power to paralyze systems, steal confidential information and cause financial and reputational damage,” warns Felippe Barros.
Spear Phishing
Spear phishing, a highly targeted and personalized form of cyberattack, targets specific users or organizations. In this case, hackers research their victims in detail and use advanced social engineering techniques to create convincing messages that appear legitimate. “They try to trick the victim into taking actions that will harm the organization. It could be a fake email from a high-ranking executive requesting payment of a bill or transfer of funds, which, due to the sender’s level of importance in the corporation, ends up not arousing suspicion,” explains the Cyber Security Executive at Trend Micro Brazil.
Last year alone, Trend Vision One™ – Email and Collaboration Security blocked nearly half a million BEC (Business Email Compromise) threats, as this type of scam is also known. That’s why it’s important to have security features that can control and prevent the messaging layer.
“Email security tools should be a vital part of a company’s cybersecurity strategy, acting as a primary layer of defense capable of blocking highly complex and evasive threats,” recommends the Trend Micro executive.
About Trend Micro
Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity, helps make the world a safer place to exchange digital information. Powered by decades of cybersecurity expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s AI-powered cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of individuals and organizations across the cloud, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, Trend Micro delivers a powerful array of advanced threat defenses optimized for environments such as AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for faster, better detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 70 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to secure and simplify their connected world.
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