Email Security For Distribution

Distribution is one of the most frequently targeted industries in today’s attack climate—and it takes no stretch of the imagination to see why. As a global industry where the smooth running of operations is crucial for productivity and cash flow, any disruptions can lead to disastrous consequences for all parties involved. This makes distribution vendors a popular target for cybercrime groups looking to capitalize on creating those disruptions, steal trade secrets, ransom sensitive data, and more.
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A key way for attackers to target distribution vendors is via email-based attacks. And with much of an organization’s business primarily conducted via email communications, if left unsecured, emails can be the gateway to an attack. But investing in a robust email security solution can help.
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Email security is an umbrella term for a series of tools and technologies that work together to protect an organization against attack. Having an advanced solution in place will protect an organization across the entire email attack surface.

Across all industries, the long-term impacts of suffering a cyberattack can damage the viability of an entire business. And in manufacturing, that rings especially true.
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In many cases, industrial espionage and financial gain are prime motives for attackers to target distribution vendors. So, email security is key to protecting sensitive data, trade secrets, and intellectual property. Attackers might also plan to interrupt production or damage critical infrastructure, holding key systems or data hostage until a ransom is paid, or impersonate known suppliers to trick vendors into paying fraudulent invoices.
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The long-term effects of suffering an attack can go far beyond reputational damage—although that in itself is costly when it comes to keeping clients and securing new opportunities. An attack can often lead to sensitive data leakage, compliance breaches, and astronomical financial losses, which can be critical to a business of any size.

For vendors in the distribution industry, a well-rounded stack is crucial for protecting email accounts against all possible attacks. Protection against spear phishing attacks, ransomware, impersonation, and vendor email compromise is a must, and it’s vital to put a stop to these attacks across the entire attack surface.
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To help protect against these attacks, businesses should invest in strong email filtering and scanning, which automatically detects and quarantines malicious threats.
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End-to-end email encryption is also key for organizations dealing with highly sensitive data, as it encrypts emails both in transit and at rest.
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Security awareness training can also combat phishing, ransomware, and other types of social engineering attacks by educating users on what to look out for and how to report suspicious emails.