VEC and BEC attacks rise in the energy and infrastructure industry

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Data released by Abnormal reveals that VEC and BEC attacks are increasing in the energy and infrastructure industry. Energy and infrastructure industry customers provided the data between February 2023 and January 2024, in which 65% of reporting customers experienced a VEC attempt. Other commonly targeted industries included technology (43%), finance (46%) and healthcare (50%), yet energy and infrastructure still surpassed these industries.

BEC attacks also increased in the energy and infrastructure industry. Between February 2023 and July 2023, there was a weekly average of .53 attacks per 1,000 mailboxes. In the latter half of the year, these attacks rose to average of .63 per 1,000 mailboxes, displaying an increase of 18%. This average rose again on December 10th, 2023, at 1.2 per 1,000 mailboxes.

The weekly attacks rose yet again at the beginning of 2024, with 1.41 per 1,000 mailboxes. It is predicted that the rate will continue to increase throughout the year. Security leaders should be prepared for more sophisticated email-based attacks in 2024.

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