A more convincing scam
Phishing emails used to be easy to spot because of poor language and generic wording. AI tools now let criminals write fluent, personalised messages in any language, and voice-cloning technology can imitate a manager or supplier on the phone. Businesses worldwide report fraud attempts that ask finance teams to make urgent payments or change bank details.
Why technology alone is not enough
Email filters and security software block many attacks, but a well-crafted message that reaches the right person at the right moment can still succeed. The strongest protection combines technical controls with clear business processes.
Steps every company should take
Require a second, independent confirmation for any payment or bank-detail change, using a known phone number rather than the one in the message. Enable multi-factor authentication on email and finance systems. Train staff with realistic examples, including voice and video. Use DNS filtering and secure web gateways to block known malicious sites. Encourage employees to report suspicious messages without fear of blame.
The network's role
When a user does click a malicious link, network controls such as DNS filtering, segmentation and firewall policies can stop the next stage of the attack, preventing malware from reaching critical systems.
