Free Email Hijack Guide for UK Businesses

How hackers break into business email, and steal money. No form and no email address needed: the guide opens straight away.

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29-page PDF
By Yann Davies of ABCOM IT Solutions
Free to read and share

Cover of the Email Hijack guide by Yann Davies of ABCOM IT Solutions

What is inside the guide

A story you will recogniseA business owner finds £12,000 gone from his account. The story is fictional, but it is based on real incidents, and it shows the cash flow, staff and supplier fallout.Seven common email scamsHidden forwarders, look-alike domains, well-timed follow-up emails, compromised suppliers, edited PDF invoices, keyloggers and “the boss is on holiday” tricks.10 layers of email securityA practical checklist to pick and choose from, so you are protected without tying your team’s hands.Rules that stickWhy payment processes must apply to everyone, including the boss, and how to make them part of the culture.

The front door

Why email is the first thing attackers go for

If a hacker takes control of your email, they can usually get into other systems too, because most “forgotten password” links are sent to your inbox. A single hidden forwarding rule is enough for them to watch your invoices, wait for the right moment and redirect a payment. Cloud email is not secure by default, and even the best filters cannot catch everything.

90%+of successful attacks involve human error
40%of UK businesses enforce MFA everywhere
60%+of people reuse passwords across work and personal accounts (NCSC)

Figures as quoted in the guide.

From the guide

Can you see it?

The story in the guide is fictional, but it is based on real incidents. David’s operations manager paid a supplier’s invoice, then an email arrived with new bank details. Just over £12,000 went to the wrong account. Which of these two is the fake?

Fromaccounts@xyzcompany.comSubjectYour invoicePlease find this month’s invoice attached.This one’s the fakeFromaccounts@xyzcommpany.comSubjectYour invoice: new bank detailsWe’ve moved banks. Please use these new details.This one’s the fake

No form, no email

Get the free guide

A short, readable guide by Yann Davies of ABCOM IT Solutions. It follows one business owner through an invoice fraud, then gives you a checklist of 10 layers of email security to put in place before it happens to you.

Get the free guide

Opens the PDF straight away (29 pages, 2.5MB). No spam, no pressure. Just a practical guide written for UK business owners.

Page from the Email Hijack guide: The discovery, the opening of the story

Page from the Email Hijack guide: Common email scams and hacks

Page from the Email Hijack guide: Your 10 layers of security

Pick and choose

The 10 layers of email security

Most businesses do not need every layer, and using all of them would slow everyone down. The guide explains each one in plain English so you can choose the right blend with expert help.

Multi-factor authenticationConfirm every login on a second device. The simplest and most effective control.
Forwarder monitoringGet alerted if a hidden email forwarding rule is ever set up.
Proper email backupSo a compromised account can be rebuilt without losing a single email.
AI email screeningSpots sudden changes in how a familiar contact writes.
Endpoint securityLock down the computers your team uses to read email.
Microsoft 365 advanced threat protectionStrong protection, if it is set up correctly for your business.
Awareness trainingShort online courses that make people pause before they click.
Cyber EssentialsBuilds the right habits, and more customers now ask for it.
Cyber insuranceAnd follow the standards insurers set for best practice.
Payment processesApproval steps followed every time, especially when the boss is in a hurry.