Account thieves exploit trusted email access to evade detection

The sponsored article describes how account takeovers are becoming harder to spot: attackers who steal email credentials may quietly monitor conversations before impersonating the account holder. This matters because messages from a real, trusted account can evade ordinary email checks and help criminals reach employees, customers or suppliers.

The article says phishing, made easier by generative AI, is a common way to obtain login details. Attackers may wait for a suitable moment to target payroll or invoicing systems, or send outbound phishing from a compromised account; impersonating a senior manager can make their messages especially persuasive. It recommends security that can analyse language and conversation history for unusual activity, alongside controls such as multifactor authentication.