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Global Accelerated Learning • Est. 1999
Glossary Term Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Training Camp • Cybersecurity Glossary

What is Business Email Compromise (BEC)?

Business Email Compromise (BEC) uses spoofed or hijacked email to impersonate executives or vendors and trick staff into wiring funds or data.

Glossary > Threats, Malware & Attacks > Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Understanding Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a targeted fraud scheme in which attackers impersonate executives, vendors, or trusted partners through compromised or spoofed email accounts to trick employees into transferring funds or sensitive data. Variants include CEO fraud, invoice fraud, and email account compromise, and the attacks often rely on social engineering rather than malware. BEC is among the costliest cybercrimes; defenses include email authentication, out-of-band payment verification, and staff training.

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