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Work Email Is More Dangerous Than Personal Email

Posted: February 20, 2017 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Malware, Data Breach, Cryptocurrency

An analysis over more than a billion emails yielded some interesting stats when comparing work email versus personal email. The numbers, compiled and reported by Google Research, show that work email is much more prone to hacking attempts, which makes sense.  A compromised work email account can yield a lot more money than a personal account can. Here are some of the findings:
  • A work email account is:
    • 4.3 time more likely to receive malware
    • 6.2 times more likely to receive a phishing email
    • 0.4 times less likely to receive spam
  • Top 10 (11, actually, because of ties) industries targeted by phishing, from most to least:
    • Finance and insurance
    • Entertainment
    • IT
    • Transportation
    • Housing
    • Health
    • Retail/Science (tied)
    • Wholesale
    • Construction/Manufacturing (tied)
  • Top 10 industries targeted by malware, from most to least:
    • Real Estate
    • Transportation
    • Construction
    • Utilities
    • Retail
    • Accommodations & Food
    • Mining
    • Administrative
    • IT
    • Manufacturing
  • Top 10 industries targeted by spam, from most to least:
    • Entertainment
    • IT
    • Housing
    • Retail
    • Health
    • Accommodation & Food
    • Construction
    • Science
    • Transportation
    • Management
Here's the presentation in its entirety.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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