The digital landscape presents constant threats, and one particularly insidious attack targeting businesses is vendor email compromise (VEC). Unlike broad phishing attacks, VEC is highly targeted. It preys on the established trust between your company and its suppliers. Attackers first breach a vendor’s email system. Once inside, they monitor communications and then use the compromised account to send fraudulent instructions directly to your employees, typically those handling payments.
Why do employees frequently fall for this? The emails appear incredibly legitimate. They originate from an address your team recognizes and trusts – your actual vendor’s email account. The attacker often uses real invoice information or discusses ongoing projects, making the request seem perfectly normal. Common tactics involve asking for urgent payment to a “new” bank account due to an “audit” or a “change in banking details.” Under pressure or without proper verification protocols, employees can easily be tricked into wiring substantial funds to the criminals. This isn’t just a minor phishing attempt; it’s a sophisticated scam leveraging genuine business relationships.
The fallout from a successful VEC attack can be devastating. Companies face significant financial losses that are often unrecoverable. There can also be reputational damage and disruption to critical business operations. Protecting your organization requires more than just technical defenses; it demands a robust focus on the human element. Training employees to recognize the warning signs – sudden changes in payment instructions, urgent demands that bypass standard procedures, or slight inconsistencies in language – is paramount. Implementing mandatory verification steps, such as calling the known vendor contact independently to confirm any change in banking details before payment, is a critical defense.
Ultimately, vendor email compromise is a stark reminder that cyber threats are constantly evolving. By understanding how these scams work and empowering your team with the knowledge and processes to identify and question suspicious requests, you build a far stronger defense against this pervasive and costly form of fraud.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/06/09/vendor-email-compromise-attacks-vec/
