Zix Releases 2021 Mid-Year Global Threat Report

Rhea-AI Summary

Zix Corporation (Zix), a leader in cloud email security, announced the release of its 2021 Mid-Year Global Threat Report. The report highlights a significant rise in cybercrime, particularly customized phishing attacks and Business Email Compromise (BEC) tactics. Key findings include a 2.9 billion increase in quarantined email threats and the continued evolution of attack methods. Zix emphasizes the importance of proactive threat detection to protect businesses from increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals.

Positive

• Zix quarantined 2.9 billion email threats in the first half of 2021.
• The report positions Zix as a thought leader in email security, enhancing its credibility.

Negative

• Rising sophistication of cyber threats may require increased investment in security measures.
• Increased prevalence of BEC attacks highlights vulnerabilities in business communications.

Zix Corporation (Zix), (Nasdaq: ZIXI), a leading provider of cloud email security, productivity, and compliance solutions, today announced the release of its biannual Global Threat Report. Twice a year, Zix researchers publish their assessment of the current threat and security landscape, providing an overview of attack trends and tips on organizational prevention.

“Cybercrime is exploding in 2021 and if there is anything that could be learned over the past year, it is that threat hunters are essential,” says Troy Gill, Manager of Research at Zix. “Companies cannot wait for potential threats to emerge but must proactively identify security incidents that may go undetected by automated security tools. As we enter into the back half of the year, we will continue to see phishing, Business Email Compromise (BEC) and ransomware attackers become more sophisticated and bad actors asking for higher bounties to release data they have compromised.”

The 2021 Mid-Year Global Threat Report finds attackers rapidly adopting new techniques to target users. Contained in the report is an overview of the new methods employed by cybercriminals, as well as a few exemplary campaigns. Below are a few major takeaways from the report:

• Customized Phishing Attacks on the Rise: Phishing attacks have not only increased in volume between Q1 and Q2 but have also become more advanced, with campaigns becoming more customized to targeted users through the utilization of CAPTCHAs and web certificate data. Websites like Spotify and DocuSign were among the many used to draw in users.
• Development of New Attack Trends: Email threats were found to have increased throughout the first half of 2021, with 2.9 billion quarantined by Zix through June. URL and text-based attacks rose consistently throughout the first half of the year, while email-based attacks decreased in the first five months before sharply increasing in June.
• Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks Become #1 Used Tactic: Overall, Zix found businesses to be most vulnerable and sought after by attackers. Hackers have been found to monitor conversations from inside a compromised account before sending more customized messages in an attempt to steal financial information or credentials.

The full 2021 Mid-Year Global Threat Report can be downloaded here.

About Zix Corporation

Zix Corporation (Zix) is a leader in email security, productivity and compliance solutions. Trusted by the nation’s most influential institutions in healthcare, finance and government, Zix delivers a superior experience and easy-to-use solutions for email encryption and data loss prevention, advanced threat protection, unified information archiving and cloud backup. Focusing on the protection of business communication, Zix enables its customers to better secure data and meet compliance needs. Zix is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol ZIXI. For more information, visit www.zixcorp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210817005082/en/

FAQ

What does the 2021 Mid-Year Global Threat Report by Zix reveal?

The report reveals a rise in customized phishing attacks and Business Email Compromise (BEC) tactics, along with 2.9 billion email threats quarantined.

How many threats did Zix quarantine in 2021?

Zix quarantined 2.9 billion email threats through June 2021.

What are customized phishing attacks?

Customized phishing attacks have increased in sophistication, targeting users through techniques like CAPTCHAs and web certificate data.

Why is Business Email Compromise a significant concern?

BEC has become the most used tactic by attackers, exploiting vulnerabilities in business communications to steal financial information.

Where can I access the full Global Threat Report?

The full report can be downloaded from Zix's official website.