03/08/2026
🚨 Cyber Mondays: Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Not every cyberattack starts with a suspicious link. Sometimes, it starts with an email that looks completely legitimate.
Imagine receiving an email from your CEO requesting an urgent payment to a supplier. The email carries the company logo, the signature looks authentic, and the request seems routine.
Because the request appears to come from someone trusted, employees may comply without realizing they’ve been targeted.
🚩 Watch out for these red flags:
• Unexpected requests for urgent payments
• Pressure to bypass normal approval processes
• Last-minute changes to supplier banking details
• Requests to keep the transaction confidential
• Slight differences in the sender’s email address.
🛡️ How can your business stay protected?
✔ Always verify payment requests through a separate communication channel, such as a phone call.
✔ Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all business email accounts.
✔ Implement dual approval for financial transactions.
✔ Regularly train employees to recognize impersonation scams.
✔ Review and strengthen your email security controls.
Remember: Cybercriminals don’t just hack systems, they exploit trust. Taking a few moments to verify an unusual request can prevent significant financial and reputational loss.
At OOI, we help organizations strengthen their email security, protect identities, and equip teams with the knowledge to recognize and stop sophisticated email threats.
If you received an urgent payment request from your CEO today, what would be the first thing you’d do before responding?