What is Business Email Compromise (BEC)?
Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a type of cybercrime where attackers user social engineering, spoofed or compromised email accounts to trick employees into transferring funds or sensitive data. Unlike mass phishing campaigns, BEC attacks are highly targeted and often involve impersonating executives, vendors, or partners to exploit trust and bypass traditional security filters.
How BEC Works
BEC typically involves:
Gaining access to a legitimate business email account — often through credential theft, phishing, or brute force
Monitoring communications to understand how the organization operates (tone, timing, and finance processes)
Launching a convincing email attack — posing as a trusted executive, customer, or vendor to:
Request wire transfers
Solicit confidential documents or employee data
Redirect invoice payments
Change payroll information
Attackers may also use lookalike domains (e.g., ceo@fas00.com) or compromise a real email account to make their messages appear legitimate.
Types of BEC Attacks
Type | Description |
|---|---|
CEO Fraud | Impersonating a high-ranking executive to authorize urgent payments |
Vendor Email Compromise | Hijacking a supplier’s account to send fraudulent invoices |
Employee Impersonation | Requesting sensitive HR or payroll data |
Account Takeover | Gaining full control of a user’s email and using it for internal fraud |
Invoice Fraud | Sending fake invoices or payment detail changes to redirect funds |
Why BEC is So Dangerous
Highly targeted and personalized
Bypasses traditional filters (no malware or obvious phishing indicators)
Leads to significant financial loss, data breaches, and compliance violations
Exploits human error and trust, not just technical vulnerabilities
How to Prevent Business Email Compromise
Technical Controls
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all email accounts
Use email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
Deploy AI-powered email security solutions that detect social engineering tactics
Monitor for unauthorized mailbox rules or logins
Isolate unknown or risky URLs and attachments
Employee Awareness
Train employees to spot fake email domains, urgent requests, or payment changes
Encourage verbal or secondary confirmation for sensitive actions
Create clear escalation paths for reporting suspicious messages
Data-Centric Security
Protect sensitive files and financial documents with persistent encryption and access control
Monitor document activity to detect abnormal usage or unauthorized sharing
Prevent unauthorized uploads to external services or AI platforms using DLP solutions