The Risk in Your Inbox: How Attackers Exploit Human Trust

The biggest threat to your company’s email security isn’t always malware. It can be misplaced trust.

Phishing and spoofing work because they look legitimate. Attackers exploit human instinct, not technical flaws. A familiar logo, a believable sender name, or a well-written message is often all it takes.

Human actions drive the majority of breaches

The human element is involved in around 60% of all breaches. While phishing is the initial entry point in 16% of cases, it often triggers other attack types, such as credential theft, making its real impact much broader (Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 2025).

This leads to compromised accounts, data leaks, and financial losses – all starting from a single click.

The blind spot in your inbox

Filters and employee training stop a lot of threats, but not all of them.

Even well-protected companies can miss what happens behind the scenes: who’s sending emails in their name, how messages are authenticated, or whether their domains are being impersonated elsewhere.

“Simulations and continuous training are just as critical as filters and firewalls. One without the other leaves gaps."

- Jesper Rosén, IT Engineer

Full protection covers it all: inbound, outbound, and human

True resilience means protecting what comes in and what goes out, and the people between.

• Inbound protection detects and stops phishing, malware, and social engineering before they reach the inbox.
• Outbound protection ensures that every email sent from your organisation is verified and trusted, preventing spoofing and brand impersonation.
• Human awareness turns your employees from potential targets into your first line of defence.

How to strengthen your email security

The human factor

Email safety isn’t just about what you click, it’s also about what you approve.

•  Always check the sender: Does this person or company usually contact you? Does the request seem consistent with previous emails?
•  Hover before you click: Check where a link leads before you open it. If it points to an unfamiliar or third-party site, it could be malicious.
•  Always verify authentication requests: Approve only those you initiated.

Even the best filters can’t stop every email, and even the most aware employees need regular reminders. That’s where ongoing training makes the real difference.

The technical layer

Solutions like Avanan, with simulated phishing exercises, practical examples, and micro-learning sessions, can help employees spot and report suspicious messages before damage is done.

Human awareness helps, but technology makes it consistent. By combining authentication, filtering, and monitoring, you reduce the risks that people can’t always catch on their own.

Human awareness helps, but technology makes it consistent. By combining authentication, filtering, and monitoring, you reduce the risks that people can’t always catch on their own.