What is Business Email Compromise (BEC)?

Email-based scams are on the rise, and one of the most insidious forms is business email compromise (BEC). In a BEC attack, fraudsters impersonate trusted individuals within your organization to manipulate you into initiating unauthorized transactions or sharing sensitive information.

These attacks often lack the typical red flags of phishing, such as malware or malicious links, making them particularly difficult to detect.

Understanding BEC is imperative for protecting yourself and your organization from these targeted, deceptive schemes.

Key Takeaways to Business Email Compromise:

• Targeted attacks: BEC involves personalized email phishing aimed at specific individuals within organizations, often using impersonation to deceive the victim.
• Non-malicious content: BEC emails typically contain no malware or links, making them harder for traditional email security systems to detect, as they blend in with regular email traffic.
• Urgency and authority: Attackers often create a sense of time sensitivity and impersonate senior authority figures to compel victims into making hasty decisions without verification.

Understanding Business Email Compromise

As a sophisticated form of cybercrime, Business Email Compromise (BEC) targets unsuspecting individuals in organizations, attempting to deceive them into conducting fraudulent transactions.

By manipulating social engineering tactics, attackers exploit trust and authority, increasing the likelihood of their success.

Definition of Business Email Compromise

For you to grasp the essence of BEC, it is crucial to understand that it is an email-based social engineering attack where attackers impersonate legitimate contacts to manipulate victims into transferring funds or sensitive information.

History and Evolution of BEC

At first, BEC attacks were relatively simple, but over time, they have become more sophisticated and targeted. Initially, scammers relied on generic emails, but they have now honed their techniques to include the impersonation of high-level executives within organizations.

In addition, the evolution of BEC can be traced back to the early 2010s when attackers began using more personalized strategies. With advancements in technology and the rise of remote communication, attackers shifted their focus from bulk phishing to targeted attacks.

This evolution has resulted in BEC becoming a multi-billion dollar threat to businesses worldwide, with reported losses exceeding $1.8 billion in recent years.

Common Misconceptions about BEC

Compromise over BEC often stems from misunderstandings regarding the nature of these attacks.

Many believe that BEC requires malicious links or attachments, which is not the case; BEC attacks primarily rely on convincing text to deceive victims.

The evolution of thought surrounding BEC can lead individuals to underestimate its risk. It’s easy to assume that only executive-level employees are targeted, while in fact, anyone within an organization can fall victim.

By understanding that BEC is more about manipulation than technology, you enhance your ability to recognize and prevent such attacks.

Anatomy of a BEC Attack

Any BEC attack is meticulously crafted to deceive you into taking action that benefits the attacker. It often involves the impersonation of trusted individuals within your organization, utilizing social engineering tactics that create a sense of urgency and authority.

The attackers conduct thorough research to ensure the email feels familiar and legitimate, which contributes to their success in bypassing traditional security measures.

The Attack Lifecycle

Anatomy of a BEC attack unfolds in stages, beginning with reconnaissance, where attackers gather information about your organization and its key personnel.

They then craft a personalized email, often pretending to be a senior executive or trusted colleague.

After sending the email, they hope to receive a prompt response from you, often leading to financial loss or unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Typical Target Profiles

With BEC attacks, your organization’s financial decision-makers and personnel who handle sensitive information are prime targets.

Attackers often target individuals in roles such as the CFO, accounting department, or administrative assistants, as these positions frequently have access to funds or critical information that can facilitate the attacker’s objectives.

The attacker’s choice of target is informed by the likelihood of achieving a successful scam. You may be caught in this web if you hold a role that often processes financial transactions or interacts with upper management.

Vulnerabilities in your organization’s workflow, such as low scrutiny on financial requests from superiors, make you particularly susceptible to these types of attacks.

Motives Behind BEC Attacks

Above all, BEC attackers aim to exploit natural trust within organizations, driven by financial gain. Their tactics are designed to manipulate you into fulfilling requests that result in money transfers or sensitive data breaches.

By impersonating trusted figures, they sidestep formal verification processes that could prevent such actions.

Plus, the financial incentives for attackers are substantial. Successful BEC attacks can lead to significant monetary losses for your organization, often amounting to hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars.

The low barrier to entry and the potential high rewards make BEC a popular choice among cybercriminals, further emphasizing the need for vigilance in your daily operations.

Common Tactics Used in BEC Attacks

Many attackers employ a range of tactics to enhance the effectiveness of business email compromise (BEC) schemes.

These include spoofing legitimate email addresses, creating a sense of urgency, and relying on personalized communication to manipulate their targets into acting quickly, often without thorough scrutiny.

The subtlety and sophistication of these tactics make BEC attacks particularly challenging to detect and prevent, especially when they are tailored to imitate familiar contacts within your organization.

Spoofing and Impersonation

Tactics such as spoofing and impersonation involve using a legitimate-looking email address to appear trustworthy.

Attackers might create emails that seem like they are coming from someone within your organization, often targeting executives or key personnel.

This strategy capitalizes on the victim’s trust in familiar contacts, making it easier to execute fraudulent requests without raising suspicion.

Spear Phishing Techniques

On the other hand, spear phishing techniques involve specifically targeting individuals within an organization, utilizing personalized information gathered through research.

This targeted approach enhances the likelihood that you will engage with the email, as it appears more relevant and authentic. Common tactics within spear phishing include referencing specific projects or information related to the recipient, making the email seem legitimate and urgent.

Even successful spear phishing attacks often rely on subtle cues to initiate contact. This could be an email thread you’re already part of, luring you into complacency.

By referencing past conversations or operating within the context of ongoing tasks, attackers create an environment in which you feel compelled to comply with requests, significantly escalating the risk of falling victim to their schemes.

Social Engineering Strategies

Social engineering strategies focus on manipulating your emotions and sense of urgency. Attackers may craft emails that induce feelings of fear or excitement, compelling you to act hastily.

By instilling a sense of importance in their requests, these strategies aim to bypass your better judgment and prompt immediate action, often without thorough verification.

But understanding these strategies can empower you to identify potential threats. Effective BEC attacks often employ language that emphasizes urgency or authority, which may cloud your judgment.

By critically evaluating the context and the request, especially when something feels amiss, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to these sophisticated social engineering techniques.

Why Are BEC Attacks So Hard to Detect?

After examining the intricacies of business email compromise (BEC), it becomes clear why these attacks pose a significant threat to individuals and organizations alike.

BEC scams exploit advanced tactics that often elude traditional email security measures, relying on personalized communication that mimics legitimate interactions.

This combination of factors makes them exceedingly challenging to identify and prevent.

Low Volume of Phishing Emails

By operating with low email volumes, BEC attacks can evade detection more easily. Unlike large phishing campaigns that generate noticeable spikes in email traffic, BEC typically involves just one or two carefully crafted messages.

This stealthy approach allows them to change their source IP addresses frequently, complicating blocking efforts.

Human Factor and Trust Issues

Trust plays a significant role in BEC attacks. It’s common for attackers to impersonate someone you already know, such as a company executive, which can quickly erode your skepticism.

When you receive a message from a familiar name, it can create an instinct to act swiftly without second-guessing the request, especially when coupled with phrases emphasizing urgency.

Hence, your natural inclination to trust colleagues can be a double-edged sword in the context of BEC. Attackers exploit this trust, mimicking the writing style and tone of familiar senders.

This emotional manipulation, combined with a sense of urgency, often pushes you to act before verifying the authenticity of the request, making you more susceptible to falling victim to BEC schemes.

Evasion of Traditional Security Measures

Between low volumes, legitimate sources, and the absence of malicious content, BEC campaigns navigate around traditional security measures effectively.

Secure email gateways often struggle to detect well-constructed BEC emails since they lack the typical indicators of phishing, such as malicious attachments or links.

Volume alone isn’t the only challenge; these BEC attacks can appear to originate from genuine email addresses, throwing off even vigilant security practices.

As BEC messages pass through email filters without triggering alarms, your organization may remain blissfully unaware of the ongoing threat until it’s too late, underscoring the need for enhanced training and vigilance.

Characteristics of BEC Emails

Once again, understanding the characteristics of BEC emails is vital to recognizing potential threats. These emails typically feature a straightforward structure, often consisting of just a few lines of text that request a specific action, such as transferring funds.

Unlike other phishing attempts, BEC emails usually avoid malware, attachments, or links, making them less detectable by traditional email security filters. As a result, they can easily blend into the normal flow of communication, appearing to come from trusted sources.

Language and Tone

Before responding to an email, consider the language and tone used in the message. BEC emails often adopt a formal style that mimics the communication habits of legitimate personnel in your organization.

Phrases that convey authority, along with a polished and professional tone, aim to establish trust and prompt immediate action from you.

Requests for Urgency or Secrecy

One common tactic in BEC emails is the request for urgency or secrecy. Attackers employ language that creates a false sense of importance around their requests, pressuring you to act before you fully process the situation.

Phrases like “urgent” or “time-sensitive” are strategically placed to minimize your opportunity for critical thinking.

Considering the psychological aspects behind these requests can help you remain vigilant. Attackers understand that by invoking urgency, they can bypass your natural caution and compel you to act quickly.

This pressure often leads to hasty decisions, such as unauthorized wire transfers or sharing sensitive information without proper verification, making it vital to question such requests before taking action.

Commonly Used Attachments and Links

Tone is another element to scrutinize in BEC emails, as attackers tend to avoid using attachments or links altogether.

This strategic choice helps them avoid detection by security systems that typically flag malicious content. Instead, BEC emails rely heavily on text to deliver their message and requests.

Secrecy is built into BEC strategies through their avoidance of links and attachments. Without these red flags, the absence of malicious content allows the emails to blend seamlessly into your usual correspondence.

Attackers leverage this technique, reinforcing the idea that their requests are legitimate and risk-free, further lowering your defenses and making it easier for them to manipulate you into compliance.

The Role of Secure Email Gateways (SEGs)

Unlike traditional email filters, Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) are designed to provide an additional layer of protection against email threats, including business email compromise (BEC) attacks. They analyze and filter emails to identify potentially harmful content, helping to secure your organization’s communications.

However, these systems struggle with BEC due to the sophisticated and low-volume nature of such attacks, which can easily bypass standard detection methods.

Overview of SEG Functionality

To effectively combat email threats, SEGs monitor incoming and outgoing email traffic, applying advanced filtering techniques to flag malicious emails.

They inspect attachments, links, and other email features, using a combination of threat intelligence and reputation analysis to protect your organization from phishing, malware, and BEC attempts before they reach your inbox.

Limitations of SEGs in BEC Prevention

For BEC attacks, SEGs can struggle due to their low volume and the lack of malicious content in the emails. Many BEC schemes send only one or two well-crafted emails that can appear legitimate, making it difficult for these gateways to identify them as threats.

This challenge is compounded when attackers use compromised accounts or spoofed addresses, further complicating detection efforts.

The subtlety and personalized nature of BEC attacks often evade detection by SEGs. Since attackers do not use malware or phishing links and instead rely on text-based manipulation, these attacks blend seamlessly with normal email traffic.

The use of legitimate email accounts for sending malicious requests further complicates the detection process, exposing vulnerabilities within your organization’s defenses.

Recommendations for Optimizing SEG Use

Against the backdrop of evolving BEC threats, it’s important to complement SEG functionality with user training and awareness programs.

You can fortify your defenses by educating employees to recognize unusual requests and report suspicious emails to IT security teams, thus enhancing the overall effectiveness of your email security strategy.

Also, employing additional security measures such as machine learning analysis and natural language processing can improve SEG effectiveness against BEC campaigns. By analyzing email threads and monitoring for unusual activity, you can bolster your organization’s defenses, ensuring that even sophisticated attacks do not compromise sensitive data or financial resources.

Consider incorporating these advanced strategies to strengthen your email security posture.

Recognizing the Signs of a BEC Campaign

Keep an eye out for unusual requests or emails that seem out of character for your colleagues or superiors.

BEC campaigns often rely on subtle tactics, such as urgency or impersonation, to prompt you into making hasty decisions, like transferring funds or sharing sensitive information.

By being vigilant and questioning unexpected communications, you can better protect yourself and your organization from falling victim to these sophisticated attacks.

Red Flags in Email Communication

To identify potential BEC attempts, look for red flags in email communications. These include requests for urgent action, a lack of expected context or details, and messages that come from unfamiliar or slightly altered email addresses.

Additionally, if the email instructs you not to verify the request through other channels, it’s a significant indicator that something may be amiss.

Tools and Resources for Detection

Recognizing the signs of a BEC attack is important, but employing the right tools can enhance your detection capabilities tremendously.

Security measures such as advanced phishing infrastructure detection, machine learning analysis, and email thread monitoring can help identify suspicious activities, making it harder for attackers to succeed.

Another effective method of detection involves utilizing machine learning technology, which analyzes large datasets to spot irregular patterns in email traffic.

By scrutinizing communication habits and identifying anomalies, such tools can alert you to suspicious requests before they lead to financial loss or data breaches. Incorporating these technologies into your email security strategy can significantly improve your defense against BEC attacks.

Employee Training and Awareness Programs

With regular training and awareness programs, you can equip yourself and your team to recognize the signs of a BEC attack more effectively.

These initiatives often include real-life simulations and educational resources that cover key tactics used by attackers, helping you spot warning signs and react appropriately.

It’s vital to foster a culture of security awareness within your organization. By encouraging open discussions about potential threats and participating in continuous training, you ensure that employees remain alert to unusual requests and understand the importance of verifying communications.

Building this strong foundation can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to BEC schemes.

Response Strategies to Suspicion of a BEC Attack

Now that you understand the potential threat of business email compromise (BEC), it’s important to adopt effective response strategies upon suspicion of an attack. Always stay alert and consider the unusual or unexpected nature of requests.

Quick and informed actions can protect your organization from falling victim to these sophisticated schemes.

Immediate Actions to Take

About the first steps, you should always verify the authenticity of suspicious requests by contacting the supposed sender directly through another communication channel.

This immediate action can prevent unauthorized actions, such as fund transfers or sharing sensitive information.

Notification Protocols

Actions taken swiftly can help contain a potential BEC attack. Notify your security operations team of any suspicious emails you encounter. This ensures a rapid assessment of the situation and helps formulate a coordinated response.

Suspicion surrounding a BEC email should trigger your organization’s predefined notification protocols. Involving security teams early allows for the collection of relevant information, further preventing others from being targeted.

Informing your colleagues also contributes to a culture of vigilance against phishing and social engineering tactics.

Reporting and Escalating Incidents

On detecting a potential BEC scam, escalating the incident is vital. You should formally report the event through your organization’s established channels to ensure thorough investigation and response efforts.

Response efforts can significantly diminish the impact of a BEC incident. By reporting and escalating promptly, you facilitate internal communication, ensuring that all employees learn and adapt to emerging threats.

This proactive approach increases overall organizational security and prepares your team for future challenges in email safety.

Technical Measures to Detect and Block BEC Attacks

For organizations looking to fortify their defenses against Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, various technical measures can enhance detection and prevention capabilities.

Leveraging advanced technology not only helps identify potential threats but also bolsters the overall security posture of your email communications.

Advanced Phishing Infrastructure Detection

Advanced phishing infrastructure detection employs web crawlers to identify and block illegitimate email sources before they reach your inbox. This proactive approach helps reduce the risk of falling victim to BEC scams.

Detection Method

Machine Learning Analysis and Algorithms

Advanced machine learning analysis and algorithms are employed to detect patterns indicative of BEC attacks. By analyzing large datasets, these tools can predict unusual email behavior and flag potential threats in real-time, making your organization’s response more agile and effective.

Machine learning plays a vital role in enhancing your email security by continuously learning from previous attack patterns and user behaviors.

This enables systems to adapt to evolving BEC tactics, increasing the accuracy of detection and minimizing false positives.

Analyzing Email Threads and Patterns

Below, you can utilize tools that analyze email threads and patterns to spot alterations that may indicate a BEC attack. By monitoring existing conversations, you can quickly identify suspicious changes in sender or request nature.

Another important aspect of analyzing email threads is understanding context. Attackers often reply within ongoing conversations to add legitimacy.

By tracking communication patterns and identifying unusual variations, you can effectively safeguard against potential threats lurking within your inbox.

The Role of Natural Language Processing in BEC Mitigation

Despite the challenges in detecting Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, Natural Language Processing (NLP) can significantly enhance mitigation efforts.

By analyzing communication patterns and detecting anomalies in language, NLP tools help identify potential fraud attempts that traditional security systems may overlook, allowing you to take proactive measures to protect your organization.

Understanding Natural Language Processing

Any effective approach to combating BEC should include the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP).

This technology enables machines to understand and interpret human language, facilitating the identification of uncommon phrases and speech patterns that may indicate malicious intent within emails.

Applications of NLP in Email Analysis

Processing vast volumes of email data becomes manageable with NLP techniques, enabling organizations to automatically classify and flag suspicious communications.

By focusing on language usage, context, and previous interactions, NLP can highlight outlier messages that deviate from typical correspondence, raising alerts for BEC risks.

Plus, NLP can further analyze the sentiment and urgency of email content, helping to detect manipulative language often employed in BEC attacks.

By creating a profile of normal email communication, NLP algorithms identify deviations, such as urgent requests for money or unusual requests from familiar contacts, enhancing security measures tailored to your organization’s specific needs.

Case Studies on NLP Effectiveness

Below are some enlightening case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of NLP in combating BEC:

• Study 1: A financial institution implemented NLP tools and reduced BEC incidents by 30% within six months.
• Study 2: A tech company used NLP to analyze email threads, leading to the identification of 20 fraudulent attempts and saving approximately $150,000 in potential losses.
• Study 3: An organization applying NLP detected 15 previously undetected BEC attempts over a quarter, improving their response time to threats.

Analysis of these case studies illustrates the transformative impact NLP can have on email security.

By leveraging AI-driven insights, organizations can not only detect potential BEC attacks but also improve their overall cybersecurity posture, allowing for timely interventions and minimized financial losses.

NLP’s ability to learn and adapt over time further enhances its effectiveness in identifying emerging threats, making it a valuable tool in your email security strategy.

Legal and Compliance Considerations

All organizations need to be aware of the legal and compliance implications associated with business email compromise (BEC).

Failure to protect sensitive information and respond effectively to BEC incidents can lead to significant financial losses, legal actions, and damage to your reputation.

Establishing guidelines for incident response, employee training, and reporting mechanisms is important for safeguarding your business against these sophisticated attacks.

Overview of Regulatory Requirements

Between a myriad of regulations, organizations must ensure compliance with data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA, which mandate the safeguarding of personal information.

These laws typically require organizations to implement measures that prevent unauthorized access, including robust email security protocols to mitigate risks associated with BEC attacks.

Consequences of BEC for Organizations

Businesses that fall victim to BEC attacks often face severe repercussions, including significant financial losses, operational disruptions, and diminished trust among customers and stakeholders.

These consequences can undermine your organization’s future and lead to long-lasting effects on its market position.

With the potential for substantial financial loss, average losses reported from BEC attacks can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, your organization must remain vigilant.

Additionally, reputational damage may result in reduced customer trust and long-term business relationships, which can be far more devastating than immediate financial losses.

Legal Recourse and Reporting Entities

An important aspect of dealing with BEC incidents is knowing your legal recourse options and the appropriate reporting entities.

In the event of a BEC attack, you should report the incident to local law enforcement and relevant government agencies, such as the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Compliance with reporting requirements can enhance your organization’s standing when seeking restitution or legal remedies.

You may also need to consult legal counsel to understand your rights and obligations, ensuring that you take appropriate steps to limit liability and protect your organization from future attacks.

Case Studies of BEC Attacks

To understand the real-world implications of business email compromise (BEC), consider the following case studies:

• In 2019, a U.S.-based company lost $1.6 million to a BEC attack where the CFO was impersonated.
• A healthcare organization fell victim to a BEC scheme, resulting in a loss of $2.73 million after funds were redirected without proper verification.
• One global logistics firm reported a loss exceeding $2.5 million after a fake email forged the identity of a CEO.

Notable Incidents and Their Impact

Along with the substantial financial losses, notable BEC incidents have led to lasting reputational damage for the affected organizations. These incidents highlight not only the vulnerability of companies to social engineering tactics but also the need for comprehensive training and security measures to protect against such attacks.

Lessons Learned from High-Profile BEC Cases

From high-profile BEC cases, organizations have realized the importance of reinforcing their security protocols and educating employees about email scams.

It is imperative to develop a culture of skepticism regarding unexpected requests and to verify communications through secondary channels.

Cases demonstrate that investing in employee training and robust verification processes can significantly reduce susceptibility to BEC attacks.

Organizations that have implemented strict verification steps before executing financial transactions reported lower incident rates, emphasizing the direct impact of awareness and preventive measures.

Strategies Employed for Recovery

After experiencing a BEC attack, swift recovery strategies become imperative. You should have a protocol in place for reporting suspicious emails and responding to financial losses, which could include working closely with law enforcement and financial institutions.

Attacks highlight the need for effective incident response plans, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with legal authorities and financial partners to recover lost funds and mitigate damages post-attack.

Your organization should prioritize creating a recovery framework to enhance response capabilities in future incidents.

Future Trends in BEC Attacks

Many organizations are likely to see an increase in sophisticated business email compromise (BEC) attacks as cybercriminals enhance their tactics.

The evolving threat landscape suggests attackers will leverage advanced social engineering techniques and AI to create more convincing emails, making it imperative for you to stay informed and vigilant.

Emerging Threats and Tactics

About 43% of BEC attacks target high-level executives, allowing attackers to exploit authority and urgency.

You may encounter increasingly personalized and context-aware scams that mimic legitimate organizational communication, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness in your email interactions.

Innovations in Detection and Prevention

Above traditional security measures, innovative technologies are emerging to combat BEC attacks. Enhanced machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and email threading analysis can help you identify anomalies and detect potential BEC attempts before they succeed.

A combination of advanced threat detection techniques is being integrated into email security systems to combat the growing sophistication of BEC attacks.

By analyzing patterns in habitual email communication and using machine learning to flag unusual requests, these innovations empower you to respond more effectively to potential threats and enhance your organization’s overall security posture.

Preparing for the Next Wave of BEC

Below is a proactive approach to prepare for the next wave of BEC threats. You should invest in ongoing training, stay updated on the latest tactics used by attackers, and foster a culture of security awareness within your organization.

This commitment to preparation means understanding the evolving nature of BEC attacks and implementing comprehensive security measures. By encouraging open communication and reporting suspicious emails, you create a more resilient environment that can better withstand future threats while protecting your organization’s assets.

Conclusion

Ultimately, understanding business email compromise (BEC) is imperative for protecting your organization from sophisticated email-based fraud. These attacks often exploit trust and personal connections, making them hard to detect.

By recognizing the characteristics of BEC emails, being vigilant about unusual requests, and implementing additional security measures, you can mitigate the risks and safeguard your financial and sensitive information from potential threats.

FAQ

What are the common signs of a BEC email?

Common signs of a BEC email include urgent language, such as “urgent,” “important,” or “quick,” as well as requests that seem unusual or unexpected from the sender. The email may come from a person in a position of authority, such as a CFO or CEO. Suspect emails may also instruct the recipient not to verify the request with anyone else, and they often contain specific instructions about transferring funds or accessing data.

How do attackers often impersonate legitimate individuals in BEC schemes?

Attackers frequently impersonate individuals by spoofing their email addresses or using previously compromised email accounts. They may mimic the writing style of the person they are impersonating or create context that makes the request seem more legitimate. For instance, an attacker might use information about current projects or internal procedures to make the email appear authentic and to build trust with the recipient.

Why is user training important in the context of BEC attacks?

A: User training is crucial because BEC attacks are often well-crafted and can easily evade automated security measures. By educating employees on recognizing the signs of BEC emails and encouraging them to report suspicious activity, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to these schemes. Training should include how to verify unusual requests and the importance of communicating with senders through alternative channels.

What steps should individuals take if they suspect a BEC email?

If someone suspects a BEC email, they should not respond to the email directly. Instead, they should report the message to their organization’s security team and verify the request by contacting the sender through a separate communication method, such as a phone call. This extra step helps confirm whether the request is legitimate or if it is part of a malicious campaign.

What technical measures can organizations implement to protect against BEC attacks?

Organizations can enhance their defenses against BEC attacks by employing advanced phishing infrastructure detection, which identifies suspicious online activity and potential threat actors. Additionally, using machine learning to analyze email traffic can flag unusual patterns, and employing natural language processing can help detect anomalies in email content. Regular auditing of email threads for sudden changes can further help to identify BEC attempts.