Business email compromise (BEC)
Business email compromise (BEC) is fraud in which an attacker uses a hijacked or spoofed company mailbox to make staff pay fake invoices or change bank details.
How it works
The attacker either takes over a real mailbox (often after credential phishing) or uses a look-alike domain, then joins an existing conversation about payments.
The request comes at a plausible moment and from a trusted sender, so it bypasses the usual suspicion of phishing emails.
How to protect yourself
- Confirm any change of bank details by phone using a number you already had.
- Publish DMARC with enforcement for your domains and monitor look-alike registrations.