Email Security: Email is most susceptible communication medium

Published June 20, 2023
Author: Ash Khan

Email Security: Email is most susceptible communication medium

Published June 20, 2023
Author: Ash Khan

Threats frequently get through email security measures.

Even though users have a range of communication tools and instant messaging services, email remains the most serious cybersecurity threat.

This is according to the new research that examines security strategies released by email security providers. 

Following a study of over 500 IT and cybersecurity experts from commercial and public sector organisations in the United States and Western Europe. They discovered that 38% of respondents still consider email to be the most susceptible communication in the workplace setting.

Persistent email security issues

The most effective assaults carried out by hackers last year were phishing and business email compromise (BEC) schemes. Which frequently resulted in wire transfer fraud, payroll fraud, and payment fraud.

Despite everyone’s investments and other attempts to prioritise email security, the research argues that persistent issues exist. It was shown that roughly 23% of current email security plans lack thorough security awareness training and evaluations.

That, according to email security solutions providers is the main issue. Moreover, there will always be weaknesses without sufficient human understanding.

This study emphasizes the fact that technology alone cannot guard against modern phishing and BEC assaults. While native technology can give some valuable table stakes, complex phishing attempts need a more sophisticated set of tools.

Furthermore, organizations are also realizing the need to combat emerging threats, particularly those leveraging social engineering and AI. They know that they must supplement their AI-powered email security solutions with collaborative human insights.

Additionally, 25% of respondents are continually concerned about incoming threats that successfully circumvent security measures.

According to another research released in March claims BEC assaults more than quadrupled between January and December 2022. Thus, becoming the most prevalent kind of attack, surpassing ransomware.

The organizations think that successful phishing tactics are to blame for the dramatic development in BEC assaults. This accounts for one-third of occurrences where an initial access vector (IAV) could be identified. Phishing accounted for just 13% of events a year ago, it has increased 3x year on year.

However, some businesses are taking proactive measures to secure their workforce’s most popular communication tool: almost 34% have added additional third-party security controls, and almost half (plan to do so in the next 12 months.

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