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Don't allow your business email to be impersonated

How secure is your business domain? You’d assume pretty secure, right? But what if it isn't? What if it can be spoofed?


The trouble is, noticing that someone is spoofing your domain - and by spoofing we mean someone impersonating your company, pretending to be your business and confusing your customers/clients by sending out fake information, and maybe trying to extract data from them - is not easy.


But measures should be taken to identify this risk, because your reputation is at stake here.


Your domain will have a security rating, and there are various websites available with a quick search of “domain security” that will check if your domain name is protected against phishing, spoofing, fraud, and impersonation, giving you a full analysis of your domain email security authentication status.


But just how do attackers spoof your domain? By using a forged identity of a legitimate source, allowing them to impersonate or masquerade as your business.


Hackers could exploit a gap in your email security. This enables them to almost clone your domain, and this is how they can send emails to all your recipients, potentially containing malware or phishing techniques.



Domain verification was not built into the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), the protocol on which email is based, so get it checked out and get it secured. It’s imperative that businesses use a secure connection to protect their brand.


Last year, it was reported that brand impersonation accounted for 81% of all phishing attacks, and this is predicted to double by the end of 2021, which is scary reading. Therefore, email security is paramount and should be something high on your agenda as a business owner.


Small businesses and SMEs are at risk of being impersonated, contrary to popular belief. Size isn’t important to attackers, email vulnerability is. So a business with inadequate domain security could be a target.

 

Reporting


Report all Fraud and Cybercrime to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Report SMS scams by forwarding the original message to 7726 (spells SPAM on the keypad).

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The contents of blog posts on this website are provided for general information only and are not intended to replace specific professional advice relevant to your situation. The intention of East Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (EMCRC) is to encourage cyber resilience by raising issues and disseminating information on the experiences and initiatives of others. Articles on the website cannot by their nature be comprehensive and may not reflect most recent legislation, practice, or application to your circumstances. EMCRC provides affordable services and Trusted Partners if you need specific support. For specific questions please contact us by email.

 

EMCRC does not accept any responsibility for any loss which may arise from reliance on information or materials published on this blog. EMCRC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites that link to this site or which are linked from it.

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