Almost three in four businesses – 74% — report that email attacks are having a major impact on their operations, according to email attack research from Barracuda, a provider of cloud-based security.
The survey offered other sobering conclusions. It found that 78% of organizations report that the cost of email breaches is increasing. Forty-three percent say that have been the victim of spear phishing attacks during the past year. And 75% of organizations say that their employees “aren’t good at spotting suspicious emails.”
Many CDG clients are either already offering or looking into offering cybersecurity services that can help their business customers avoid these attacks. Or at least be prepared for them. It’s both a necessary offer to help businesses in the community, and potentially a good business opportunity
Other findings in the survey buttressed the main points. Barracuda found that email attacks most often impact employee productivity, cause downtime and business disruption and damage the IT team’s reputation. Almost three quarters of respondents reported higher stress levels and that they worry about email security even when they are not at work. Some report being required to work nights and weekends to address email security issues.
Sixty-six percent of attacks resulted in direct monetary costs during the past year, and almost 25% of respondents say that costs to their organizations were $100,000 or more. Finally, 79% of IT professionals said they fear that attacks may be coming from inside the organization and 92% have security concerns about Office 365. “Based on the success and proliferation of email-based attacks, IT security professionals will need to stay focused on the evolution and escalation of phishing, ransomware, and other threats and improve email security that goes beyond the traditional gateway,” according statements in a press release outlining the research.