In recognition of National Email Week, local managed IT provider Bit-Wizards urges businesses to learn how to identify and avoid the rising cyber threats in their inboxes. Emails are essential in keeping people connected and organized, but they come with ever-present risks like phishing attacks. Email remains the top cyberattack medium, and the trend has few signs of slowing down.
According to the 2025 Email Threats Report from Barracuda, 25% of emails in February 2025 alone were phishing and spam content. Cisco Talos IR affirms its prevalence, with its 2025 Q1 Trends report finding that 50% of attacks used phishing to gain unauthorized access. Brian Schlechter, Director of IT at Bit-Wizards, says the prolific nature of these attacks is due to their high potential profit with minimal effort.
"A hacker can send a million phishing emails and get 100 people to click a malicious link, which doesn't seem like much. IBM reported that the average cost of a phishing-related breach was $4.88 million in 2024, so it goes to show that these attacks can do significant damage with just a 1% success rate."
The cost of poor email security can be catastrophic, so business owners and their employees should consider these questions to gauge if an email is potentially malicious:
- Is the message relevant and from someone I know?
- Is the introduction personalized or generic?
- Does the overall tone seem overly official or casual?
- Are there several spelling or grammar errors?
- Is someone demanding I take immediate action?
- Do the email address and company name match?
- Are there random links or files in the message?
Business owners who want an added security boost for their company email systems can partner with a managed service provider. With Managed IT Services from Bit-Wizards, clients leverage advanced email filtering and additional robust security measures to reduce phishing attempts and other cyber threats. Combined with reliable help desk support powered by a combined 200+ years of technical experience, employee data and operations are protected and supported around the clock.
Click here to learn how businesses can enhance their IT by partnering with an experienced team.