Types of email threats
Organizations face a number of complex email threats from account takeover and business email compromise to spear phishing and vishing. Generally, email threats fall into these group types:
Data exfiltration
Data exfiltration is the unauthorized transfer of data from an organization either manually or through malicious programming. Email gateways help make sure businesses avoid sending sensitive data without authorization, which could lead to a costly data breach
Malware
Malwareis short for malicious software, and its primary aim is to damage or disrupt computers and computer systems. Common types of malware include viruses, worms,ransomware, and spyware.
Spam
Spam is an unsolicited message sent in bulk and without the recipient’s consent. Businesses use spam email for commercial purposes. Scammers use spam to spread malware, trick recipients into divulging sensitive information, or extort money.
Impersonation
Impersonation occurs when cyber criminals pretend to be a trusted person or organization to secure money or data via email. Business email compromise is one example in which a scammer impersonates an employee to steal from the company or its customers and partners.
Phishing
Phishingis the practice of pretending to be a trusted person or organization to trick victims into disclosing valuable information such login credentials and other types of sensitive data. Different types of phishing include spear phishing, vishing, and whaling.
