--- title: "Top Strategies To Avoid Business Email Compromise And Upgrade Email Security | DuoCircle" description: "In this digital age, communication and payment transactions are performed online." image: "https://www.duocircle.com/images/og-default.png" canonical: "https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/" --- Quick Answer Business Email Compromise drove $26 billion in losses in 2020 per the FBI's IC3 report, and BEC attempts grew from 9,708 in 2017 to 17,607 in 2020\. The attack pattern: phishing or credential stuffing harvests an executive's mailbox login, the attacker observes communication patterns for days or weeks, then sends a wire-transfer or invoice-redirect request that looks normal to finance staff. Defenses, in order of impact: phishing-resistant MFA (FIDO2 hardware keys, not SMS) on every executive and finance account; SPF/DKIM/DMARC at p=reject on every sending domain so attackers cannot spoof your CFO back at your AP team; link-time URL inspection on inbound mail to stop the initial credential-phishing email; out-of-band verification policy for any wire transfer or banking-detail change (a phone call to a known number, not a reply to email); and recurring training with realistic BEC simulations. Awareness alone does not work; controls plus policy do. Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=undefined%2Fblog%2Femail-security%2Ftop-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Top%20Strategies%20To%20Avoid%20Business%20Email%20Compromise%20And%20Upgrade%20Email%20Security&url=undefined%2Fblog%2Femail-security%2Ftop-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=undefined%2Fblog%2Femail-security%2Ftop-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=undefined%2Fblog%2Femail-security%2Ftop-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security%2F&title=Top%20Strategies%20To%20Avoid%20Business%20Email%20Compromise%20And%20Upgrade%20Email%20Security "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=Top%20Strategies%20To%20Avoid%20Business%20Email%20Compromise%20And%20Upgrade%20Email%20Security&body=Check out this article: undefined%2Fblog%2Femail-security%2Ftop-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security%2F "Share via Email") ![Email Security](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/smtp-server-mail-6832.jpg) In this digital age, communication and payment transactions are performed online. And _email remains the number one communication channel due to its flexibility_, reliability, and ease of use. As such, it is the preferred channel by malicious actors to attack an organization. _The current pandemic has contributed much to the use of emails_. As a result, cybercrime has evolved with innovative and sophisticated techniques to carry out [Business Email Compromise](/email-security/the-newest-business-email-compromise-request-gift-cards/) (BEC) attacks, which necessitates robust [email security](/) for any organization. _Email attacks through means like phishing and CEO fraud have caused significant financial and reputational losses to business organizations_. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, **phishing attacks** doubled from 2019 to 2020 ([IC3, p. 6](https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2020%5FIC3Report.pdf)) with **over $54 million** ([IC3, p. 20](https://www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2020%5FIC3Report.pdf)) in losses. _BEC losses accounted for a whopping **$26 billion in losses** in 2020_. [![ransomware attacks occurred worldwide](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/email-sending-services-3467.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/email-sending-services-3467.jpg) According to Statista, a **total of 304 million** [ransomware attacks occurred worldwide](https://www.statista.com/statistics/494947/ransomware-attacks-per-year-worldwide/) in 2020, a _62% increase from 2019_. The [number of seen BEC attempts worldwide](https://www.statista.com/statistics/820912/number-of-attempts-of-bec-scams-ceo-fraud/) saw an increase from 9,708 in 2017 to 17,607 at the end of 2020. For this reason, the significance of **email security** cannot be understated. The below discussion examines some of _the strategies and best practices business organizations can adopt_ and the options available to upgrade email security to stay protected. ## What Is Business Email Compromise (BEC)? _BEC is a cyberattack targeting business organizations to steal or gain access to critical corporate data to extract money using email-based fraud_. It usually impersonates one of the top officials of the organization itself. Malicious actors commonly attempt **CEO fraud attacks**, a form of BEC, using a look-alike or a compromised email account to deceive an organization into making fraudulent payment transactions. Below are some of the countermeasures to avoid becoming victims of BEC incidents. ## Top Strategies To Avoid BEC Following are some of the strategies an organization can adopt to **avoid BEC attacks**: ### Employee Awareness And Alertness _Training programs for employees to detect fraudulent emails is critical to avoid falling into traps and making unauthorized payments_. On the other hand, employees, especially those engaged in handling transactional and sensitive data, need to be vigilant to detect fraudulent emails. The following precautions come in handy: - Check the sender’s email address, particularly on a mobile device, since it is hidden. - _Malicious actors can make domain names look similar to that of an organization_. Using an upper-case of the letter ‘i’ can look like a lower-case of L. - The use of authoritative language can lead an employee to believe that their boss is demanding a response. - Financial urgencies tend to create panic. Making the employee believe that a revocation of a vital service could occur or a hefty fine could be imposed if a payment deadline is not met can result in a fraudulent transaction. - If the sender indicates a change in the email address or bank account details for the ‘urgent’ payment transfer, _verify the whereabouts through a phone call_. ### Follow Best Practices _Certain habits and policies can safeguard an organization’s data and assets_, as described below. - Use [multi-factor authentication](/email-security/email-security-a-basic-guide-on-how-to-prevent-email-security-threats/) (MFA), such as a phone number or a secret key, for processes such as payments. Even if a malicious actor succeeds in acquiring user credentials without additional verification data, the user is still safe. - _Avoid auto-forwarding emails_. Automatic email forwarding makes a mailbox vulnerable as the emails tend to go outside the security of the domain. **Check twice** before sending or forwarding sensitive data related to employees, taxes, billing, etc. - Mark emails that come from sources outside the organization to create a habit to _treat them suspiciously_. - A simple gesture like a phone call confirming the amount, payment method, and account details before making a transaction to a party can ensure that one is not paying a fraud. [![outbound SMTP](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/email-smtp-service-7492.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/email-smtp-service-7492.jpg) ### Upgrade Email Security System administrators need to maintain a secure email environment ensuring the necessary **email security protocols**. - If the organization uses an on-premise proprietary **email gateway**, it must ensure its email security features and policies before deployment. - Arm [outbound SMTP](/email/outbound-smtp) with email authentication features, [SPF](/email/spf-record-check), [DMARC](/email/dmarc), and [DKIM](/resources/what-is-dkim), in the DNS zone as these filters a significant chunk of spam and provides anti-spoofing and [phishing protection](/email/phishing-protection). Emails that fail authentication are automatically flagged or sent to the spam folder for further investigation. - The organization may consider dedicated **anti-phishing services** from reputed brands for enhanced protection from varied phishing attacks such as Whaling, Spear-Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing and a more recent Angler Phishing method. - Enterprises are increasingly being targeted with ransomware. A [recent example is a cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline](https://www.analyticsinsight.net/another-major-cyberattack-heres-why-security-validation-is-more-important-than-ever/). Often malware in the form of encryptors and screen-lockers is distributed via email attachments. Integrating a solid **ransomware protection** service can safeguard an organization’s data from being held, hostage. - _Detection and prevention of DDoS_ (Distributed Denial-of-Service Attack) and DHA (directory harvest attack) can be achieved through the use of **Secure Email Gateways** (SEG). ### Other Security Measures - The [recent cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline](https://www.analyticsinsight.net/another-major-cyberattack-heres-why-security-validation-is-more-important-than-ever/) is an example of a **ransomware attack**. It is not the absence of security protocols but a lack of consistent validation that led to its shutdown by malicious actors. _Ensure that **ransomware protection** and other additional security plugins are up to date and functioning as intended_. - For small and medium-sized businesses, a reputed cloud email service, such as Office 365 or G Suite, already has many of the email security protocols in place and can save the organization a considerable amount of time and expenses. - An [MX backup service](/email/email-backup-mx) will keep an organization in good stead if the email server is down due to a threat, maintenance, or any other reason. New incoming mail is stored in the **MX backup** and delivered as soon as the server is up and running. It provides the same email security features as the regular email server. ## Final Words [Email security service](/) needs to become a priority to eliminate cyberattacks such as ransomware, phishing, and BEC. _Strict email security policies combined with employee [training and awareness programs](/phishing-awareness-training) help prevent malicious actors from taking control of the network_ using malware. Implementing dedicated security solutions and upgrading **email security** using the latest technologies can save a business from heavy losses. ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/brad-slavin.jpg) Brad Slavin General Manager General Manager at DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across the email security portfolio. ## Secure your email infrastructure Protect, authenticate, and deliver. Contact our team to find the right solution. [Contact Sales](/contact/) [Explore Products](/products/) ## Related Articles [ Email Security 8m BIMI in 2026: What the Certificate Authority Does, and What Your DMARC Tool Does May 5, 2026 ](/blog/bimi-2026-what-the-ca-does-what-your-dmarc-tool-does/)[ Email Security 8m Designing A Custom Dkim Architecture For High-Volume Email Senders Apr 28, 2026 ](/blog/designing-custom-dkim-architecture-for-high-volume-email-senders/)[ Email Security 12m DMARC, SPF, and DKIM in 2026: Why Email Authentication Is Now a Regulatory Requirement, Not Just a Best Practice Apr 29, 2026 ](/blog/dmarc-spf-dkim-2026-email-authentication-regulatory-requirement-best-practice/)[ Email Security 5m Email Monitoring Tools: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Email Ecosystem May 7, 2026 ](/blog/email-monitoring-tools-guide-protecting-your-email-ecosystem-security/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/images/duocircle-logo.png"},"description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. We deliver about 90% of category-leader capability at roughly half the price, backed by experts who own the outcome. Trusted by 50,000+ organizations since 2014.","subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}],"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/company/duocircle","https://x.com/duocirclellc","https://www.facebook.com/duocirclellc","https://www.g2.com/products/phish-protection-by-duocircle/reviews","https://github.com/duocircle","https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/duocircle-llc"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer support","url":"https://support.duocircle.com"},"knowsAbout":["Email Security","Email Authentication","SPF","DKIM","DMARC","Phishing Protection","Spam Filtering","SMTP Relay","Email Deliverability","Email Forwarding"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. We deliver about 90% of category-leader capability at roughly half the price, backed by experts who own the outcome. Trusted by 50,000+ organizations since 2014.","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/images/duocircle-logo.png"},"description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. We deliver about 90% of category-leader capability at roughly half the price, backed by experts who own the outcome. Trusted by 50,000+ organizations since 2014.","subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]}} ``` ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","headline":"Top Strategies To Avoid Business Email Compromise And Upgrade Email Security","description":"In this digital age, communication and payment transactions are performed online.","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/","datePublished":"2021-05-22T13:15:22.000Z","dateModified":"2025-05-24T16:37:23.000Z","dateCreated":"2021-05-22T13:15:22.000Z","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.duocircle.com/authors/brad-slavin/#person","name":"Brad Slavin","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/authors/brad-slavin/","jobTitle":"General Manager","description":"Brad Slavin runs DuoCircle, the company behind DMARC Report, AutoSPF, Phish Protection, and Mailhop. His focus is product strategy, customer relationships, and the commercial and compliance side of email authentication (DPAs, SLAs, enterprise procurement).","image":"https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/brad-slavin.jpg","knowsAbout":["Email Security Strategy","SaaS Product Management","Enterprise Compliance","Customer Success","Email Deliverability Business"],"worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com"},"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin"]},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/images/duocircle-logo.png"},"description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. We deliver about 90% of category-leader capability at roughly half the price, backed by experts who own the outcome. Trusted by 50,000+ organizations since 2014.","subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/"},"articleSection":"email-security","keywords":"","wordCount":1027,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/smtp-server-mail-6832.jpg","caption":"Email Security","width":900,"height":600},"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".answer-block","h1"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Email Security"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Top Strategies To Avoid Business Email Compromise And Upgrade Email Security","item":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/"}]}] ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.duocircle.com/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Email Security","item":"https://www.duocircle.comundefined"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Top Strategies To Avoid Business Email Compromise And Upgrade Email Security","item":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","headline":"Top Strategies To Avoid Business Email Compromise And Upgrade Email Security","description":"In this digital age, communication and payment transactions are performed online.","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/","datePublished":"2021-05-22T13:15:22.000Z","dateModified":"2025-05-24T16:37:23.000Z","dateCreated":"2021-05-22T13:15:22.000Z","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.duocircle.com/authors/brad-slavin/#person","name":"Brad Slavin","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/authors/brad-slavin/","jobTitle":"General Manager","description":"Brad Slavin runs DuoCircle, the company behind DMARC Report, AutoSPF, Phish Protection, and Mailhop. His focus is product strategy, customer relationships, and the commercial and compliance side of email authentication (DPAs, SLAs, enterprise procurement).","image":"https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/brad-slavin.jpg","knowsAbout":["Email Security Strategy","SaaS Product Management","Enterprise Compliance","Customer Success","Email Deliverability Business"],"worksFor":{"@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com"},"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin"]},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/images/duocircle-logo.png"},"description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. We deliver about 90% of category-leader capability at roughly half the price, backed by experts who own the outcome. Trusted by 50,000+ organizations since 2014.","subOrganization":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138898167","name":"DMARC Report","url":"https://dmarcreport.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897912","name":"Phish Protection","url":"https://www.phishprotection.com"}]},"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.duocircle.com/blog/email-security/top-strategies-to-avoid-business-email-compromise-and-upgrade-email-security/"},"articleSection":"email-security","keywords":"","wordCount":1027,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/05/smtp-server-mail-6832.jpg","caption":"Email Security","width":900,"height":600},"speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":[".answer-block","h1"]}} ```