The Threats to Small Businesses

The Small Business Email Threat Landscape

Email reaches almost everyone at a business, so it gives scammers a direct route to staff. A message that looks familiar can be hard to question during a busy day. Here are some common ways email scams put small businesses at risk:

Common risks

Phishing messages often imitate a trusted sender. A convincing request to change payment details or share a password can disrupt a small business, especially when no one has time to verify every message.

The Harsh Reality

A small team may have less time to spot a convincing fake message. Common challenges include:

• Limited time for email security work
• Email settings that have never been reviewed
• Convincing messages that appear to come from familiar senders
• High costs when a payment or data breach occurs

Basic email authentication can help receiving providers identify messages that pretend to come from your domain. Start by checking your current records and fixing any gaps you find.