Quick Summary
Your work email is the front door to your business identity.
For hackers, it’s the fastest way into your company’s sensitive information, your clients’ trust, and even your bank account.
Understanding why your work email is a target for hackers and taking a few practical steps can keep your entire organization safer.
Why Do Hackers Want Your Work Email?
Work email addresses are gold mines for cybercriminals.
With access to your Microsoft 365 (Office 365) account, hackers can:
- Steal sensitive company data including contracts, financials, and client information.
- Impersonate you to coworkers, clients, and vendors (a common form of business email compromise).
- Reset passwords for other accounts tied to your email (payroll, banking, vendor portals).
For most organizations, especially in healthcare, professional services, and construction, the work email is the key to the kingdom.
How Do Attacks Happen?
Hackers use several tactics to get into business email accounts:
- Phishing attacks: Fake emails that trick you into clicking a link or giving up your password.
- Password reuse: If you use the same password in multiple places, a breach elsewhere can put your company at risk.
- Business Email Compromise (BEC): Attackers pose as executives or partners to trick employees into sending money or sensitive info.
Example: A healthcare office manager receives what looks like a request from the CFO to wire funds.
But the email came from a compromised account.
According to Infosecurity Magazine, these scams have cost U.S. businesses $55 billion over the last 10 years.
What’s at Stake for Businesses?
The risks of unsecured business email go far beyond an annoying spam message:
- Data breaches: Sensitive data is exposed, leading to regulatory headaches (especially in healthcare).
- Financial loss: Fraudulent wire transfers, fake invoices, or payroll scams.
- Reputation damage: Clients and partners lose trust after a security incident.
- Compliance penalties: Fines for failing to protect regulated data.
No business is too small to be a target.
In fact, smaller organizations are often more vulnerable because hackers know security isn’t always a top priority.
How to Protect Your Work Email (and Your Business)
For employees:
- Never share your password with anyone.
- Don’t click suspicious links or open unexpected attachments.
- Always verify requests for sensitive info or money—even if they appear to come from your boss.
- Report anything suspicious to your IT team.
For leaders:
- Require strong passwords and regular updates.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts.
- Provide employee cybersecurity awareness training (keep it simple, repeat often).
- Work with a trusted IT partner to review and tighten Microsoft 365 security settings.
If you suspect your email is compromised, change your password immediately and alert your IT provider.
Stringfellow’s Take: Making Email Security a Priority
At Stringfellow Technology Group, we make it easy for business leaders and employees to stay ahead of cybercriminals.
We focus on education, practical safeguards, and proactive monitoring so your team can focus on what matters most.
Want a simple email security checklist for your office? Reach out and schedule time with our business consultant.
Sometimes, a single small change can prevent a very big problem.
Quick Tips
How do I know if my work email was hacked?
- Look for password reset alerts you didn’t request, sent or deleted messages you don’t recognize, or login attempts from unfamiliar locations.
What should I do if I clicked a suspicious link?
- Report it to IT right away. Don’t try to handle it alone.
Why do hackers target smaller businesses?
- Because they’re less likely to have strong defenses and they often have just as much valuable data.
