04/28/2026
We recently investigated a real Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack. Here's how it happened — and what you can do to prevent it.
The attacker got in by triggering rapid login prompts on an employee's phone. Thinking they were routine, the employee approved them. That's all it took for the attacker to gain full access to their email.
What happened next:
- 5 hours of silent surveillance — reading 600+ emails, previewing 45 attachments
- Identified active projects with ongoing wire transfers
- Registered a lookalike domain (one extra letter) with valid email signatures
- Sent fraudulent "updated" wiring instructions impersonating a vendor
- Cleaned up the evidence — deleted emails, moved replies to trash, marked messages as unread
The good news? After a password reset and 2FA enrollment, there was ZERO unauthorized access. 2FA works.
5 ways to protect your business:
1. Never approve a login prompt you didn't initiate
2. Verify all wire transfer requests by phone — call a known number
3. Check every letter in email domains before trusting them
4. Review security logs regularly
5. Enable 2FA on every account — it's the #1 defense
This is the most costly type of cybercrime in the US ($2.9B in 2023 per the FBI). If your business sends wire transfers, handles invoices, or uses email — you're a target.
Don't wait for an attack to find out. We investigate, respond to, and prevent business email compromise for companies across Hawaii.
kukuiit.com | (808) 822-0080
Kauai · Maui · Oahu