What is Business email compromise (BEC)?
Operations, IT, cybersecurity. A plain-English definition for Australian business owners.
Business email compromise (BEC) is a fraud in which an attacker uses a compromised or convincingly spoofed email account to trick a business into paying money or revealing data — most commonly a fake invoice, a supplier's 'updated' bank details, or an urgent payment request appearing to come from the CEO.
BEC consistently ranks among the most financially damaging cybercrimes reported to Australian authorities because it defeats technology through people. The strongest defences are procedural: verify any bank-detail change by phone on a known number, enforce MFA on email, and require dual approval for payments.
In a connected back office this sits with the Operations hub, where Valont runs it support, cybersecurity and cloud systems for Australian SMEs as one team. The full definition set is on the glossary.
Talk to an Advisor
General information, not advice. For how this applies to your business, talk it through with a Trusted Advisor or start with the Business Health Check.