Email Based Cyber Attacks Explained Simply

Alright let’s be real here for a sec email is still one of the biggest ways cyber attacks happen today. Email based cyber attacks are growing day by day. Even with all the tech we got… firewalls, AI security tools, fancy threat intel dashboards… a single innocent-looking email can bring the whole thing down.

As someone who’s been around in cybersecurity for a bit, I can tell you that email based attacks never went out of fashion. In fact, they’re getting smarter, sneakier, and scarily believable these days.

You’d think people would’ve caught on by now, right? But nope. It’s human nature. You get a mail that looks like it’s from your boss, or a parcel delivery update, or even a security alert from your own bank… you’re gonna click. And that’s all the attacker needs.

Let’s dig into what these email attacks really look like, why they work, and how to not fall for them.

Read Next: Nation Sponsored Cyber Attacks Explained

Types of Email Based Cyber Attacks

1. Phishing

The classic. Phishing is still the king of email based cyber attack scams. These are mails that pretend to be from a trusted source your company, your bank, Netflix, Amazon, you name it.

The goal? Trick you into clicking a malicious link or giving away info like passwords, credit card numbers, OTPs etc.

They usually come with urgent language like “Your account will be suspended” or “Unusual login detected” to make you panic.

2. Spear Phishing

A bit more dangerous. This one’s targeted. The attacker does their homework on you. They might know your name, your boss’s name, your team, recent projects…

So instead of a generic “Hello user” mail, it’ll be something like:

“Hi Aryan, I need that report from last week urgently. Click the doc here to review.”

Looks legit, right? But that doc? Malware.

3. Business Email Compromise (BEC)

This one’s real nasty. Attackers either spoof or take over a real business email (say a CFO or CEO), and then send convincing emails asking to transfer funds, share client info or update payment accounts.
Seen cases where companies lost lakhs overnight because someone thought they were doing what the boss asked.

Some Real Life Scenarios of Email Based Cyber Attacks

Let me share a couple of situations I’ve personally seen or dealt with (no names, of course)

1. Invoice Scam Attack

One of our clients got an email from a “vendor” with a new bank account for payments. Looked completely normal, same format, even same signature.

Turns out, the attacker had spoofed the email, and redirected lakhs into a fake account.

2. HR Phish

An HR team member received a mail that looked like it came from a job candidate with a resume attached. She opened it.

That “resume”? A weaponized Word doc that dropped a backdoor in the company’s network.
Took weeks to clean it all out.

3. Free iPhone Trap

This one’s simple but surprisingly effective. User gets a mail: “You’ve won an iPhone
15! Click here to claim.”

Click leads to a fake Apple site asking for login. Boom. Apple ID stolen, and the same ID was being used on their work phone too.

It’s scary how easy it is to fall for these when you’re tired, distracted or just in a rush.

Why Email Attacks Work So Well

It all comes down to one thing humans.

People are busy. They don’t double check the sender address. They don’t hover over the link. And they just click and move on.

Also, attackers play on emotions:

• Fear (your account is hacked!)
• Greed (you won a prize!)
• Urgency (this needs your action now!)
• Curiosity (is this really about me?)

On top of that, email is used everywhere. For work, for shopping, for banking, for personal stuff… it’s the one place everyone checks, every day.

And attackers love that. One email gets them access to your entire digital life.

So How Do We Stay Safe from Email Based Attacks?

There’s no magic button to stop email attacks, but here’s what I always recommend -:

1. Think before you click

Sounds basic but seriously. Just pause. Hover over that link. Check the sender email carefully. If anything feels off, don’t click.

2. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Even if your email password is stolen, MFA adds a second layer of defense.

3. Keep systems updated

A lot of malware delivered via email relies on old software or unpatched systems.

4. Security awareness for teams

Train your people. Do phishing simulations. Reward the ones who report suspicious mails.

5. Email filtering tools

Invest in a decent email security solution that scans links, attachments, and detects spoofing.

Conclusion

Email aren’t going anywhere. It’s still the most used tool in business and personal life. But just like your front door, you gotta lock it, check who’s knocking, and never just let someone walk in.

Stay alert, question everything, and always… always double check before you click to avoid email based cyber attacks.