E-mail hacking is a commonly used malicious tactic in our increasingly connected world. Cyber-criminals compromise e-mail accounts to enter the IT premises of an organisation and carry out attacks ranging from fraud and spying to information and identity theft. Without effective security measures to stop e-mail hacks, potential victims can suffer serious consequences.

E-mail hacking is prevalent across different industries. 

Attackers deploy e-mail hacking tactics against different sectors around the world. The cyber espionage group Fancy Bear, which specialises in politically motivated attacks, has reportedly targeted the re-election campaign of a US senator earlier this year, via credential phishing tactics. Fancy Bear has been garnering headlines since 2015 for targeting political organisations in the United States, Ukraine, France, Germany, Montenegro and Turkey.

The healthcare industry has become a popular target for cyber criminals the past few years, affecting facilities in Portland, Texas, Tennessee and New Jersey, among other places. These healthcare facilities suffered data breaches brought on by schemes that manipulated hacked e-mail accounts. These attacks also affect the education sector. In May, the University at Buffalo (UB) released a statement reporting on an attack that compromised an unspecified number of e-mail accounts of university students, staff, faculty and alumni. In Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has warned staff and students of phishing e-mails sent by hacked NUS accounts in July. The compromised e-mails contained malicious links leading to a Web site that tricks recipients into giving out their credentials.