One Simple Security Habit That Can Protect Your Business Email

"Updated salary policy attached."

These messages often appear professional and convincing.

The only reliable defense is verification.

Common Warning Signs

• Unexpected urgency
• Slightly misspelled domains
• Unusual payment requests
• Strange attachment names
• Generic greetings
• Requests for confidential information

Key Takeaway: Technology blocks many phishing attempts, but informed users stop the attacks that bypass filters.

Understanding Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a targeted cyberattack in which criminals impersonate trusted individuals or organizations to trick employees into transferring money or revealing confidential information. Unlike traditional phishing, BEC often contains no malicious links or attachments, making it harder to detect.

Why BEC Is So Dangerous

Attackers often research organizations before sending emails.

They may know:

• Executive names
• Vendors
• Projects
• Payment schedules
• Employee roles

The result is an email that appears completely legitimate.

Example Scenario

An accounts payable executive receives an email appearing to come from the CFO:

"We've updated our vendor's bank account. Please process today's payment using the attached details."

Everything looks authentic.

Without verification, the payment goes directly to attackers.

Prevention Checklist

• Require secondary approval for payments.
• Verify banking changes by phone.
• Enable email authentication.
• Train employees regularly.
• Monitor unusual login activity.

Key Takeaway: BEC targets trust, not technology.

One Habit Every Employee Should Follow: Stop. Verify. Then Act.

The "Stop. Verify. Then Act." habit encourages employees to pause before responding to unusual emails, confirm the sender through a trusted communication channel, and only then proceed. This simple process significantly reduces successful phishing and Business Email Compromise attacks.

A Three-Step Security Routine