{
  "timestamp": "2025-02-05T22:17:54.802917",
  "content": "Search Free Trial Get Demo Loose SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and ARC Settings Sabotage Security March 10, 2021 Its safe to say that all of our Cyren Inbox Security customers use the native Office 365 security capabilities of Exchange Online Protection and Advanced Threat Protection now collectively called Microsoft Defender for Office 365. If you follow this blog, you c a nt help but notice that CIS and our incident response team still detect and remediate a lot of email threats that arent caught by Microsoft 365, Office 365 features, such as Safe Attachments , or a Secure Email Gateway. Related Microsoft reports a leap in attack sophistication Yesterday , I rolled up my sleeves and looked at a few phishing emails that hit a prospective customer. What I found was attacks dont have to be sophisticated to evade detection by traditional layers of security. Advanced Persistent Threats are really just Persistent Threats The messages were html formatted to look like A mazon order confirmations , but there were no URLs and no attachments. The intent is to get the user to call the phone number in the email. Whats interesting is everything changes with each instance of the message . Different sender information. Different routing. Different content. Different phone number. Looking at the email headers , I saw the presence of the Authentication-Results header showing that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are enabled. Looking deeper, I noticed one message hard- failed SPF and the other was a soft fail ure . Both messages were DKIM signed. Only one asserted a DMARC policy. Sothe question is why arent organizations enforcing basic email authentication like SPF  DKIM ? The reason is because organizations are ignoring or misconfiguring these settings. The takeaway is that basic email authentication protocols would prevent some basic phishing threats even ones that are sophisticated in their simplicity but enforcing these mechanisms would negatively impact delivery of legitimate email because people are lazy, not properly trained, forgetful, too busy, etc. Of course, a domain set up with the intent of sending spam or phishing can set up the authentication mechanisms to pass, but many do not. Additionally, a bad actor can easily spoof a domain and not be detected if these authentication mechanisms are not being enforced by the receiving MTA. Li ke Shrek told us, life is layers. This is just another example of why no single security control can detect all email threats. The idea is to layer security solutions . Check out this Gartner research for more guidance on securing your cloud mailboxes. Learn more about Cyren Inbox Security Cyren Inbox Security was built to safeguard each and every Microsoft 365 mailbox in your organization. It is a continuous and automated layer of security right in the user mailbox Persistently rescans inbound, outbound and delivered emails in all folders Reduces investigative overhead with automated incident and case management workflows A seamless mailbox plugin lets users scan and report suspicious emails Our threat visibility is unsurpassed. Cyrens global security cloud processes 25 billion email and web security transactions every day identifies 9 new threats and blocks over 3,000 known threats each second. Ready to play with Cyren Inbox Security for Microsoft 365? Start a 30-day trial, no credit card needed  Try it for Free Instant Data Classification Cyren URL Category Chacker Prev Are you satisfied? Cyren sees increasing use of forms in account takeover attacks Office 365 Phishing Email Campaign Hides Excel Template in HTML Next Company Partners Resources Investor Relations Products Freeware Demo Solutions Contact Us Privacy Management Service by Data443",
  "analysis_type": "user_guidance",
  "analysis": "**End-User Guidance on Data Security and Protection**\n\n---\n\n### 1. Security Best Practices\n- **Configure Email Authentication Protocols:**\n  - **SPF (Sender Policy Framework):** Define which mail servers can send emails on your behalf to prevent spoofing.\n  - **DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail):** Authenticate emails using digital signatures to ensure messages weren't altered.\n  - **DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance):** Combine SPF and DKIM to protect your domain from spoofing and provide reporting.\n  - **Action:** Work with IT to set up these protocols correctly and monitor their effectiveness regularly.\n\n- **Patch and Update Systems:** Keep software and devices updated to protect against vulnerabilities.\n- **Layer Security Solutions:** Use a combination of antivirus, firewalls, and email filters for comprehensive protection.\n\n---\n\n### 2. Data Protection Recommendations\n- **Encrypt Sensitive Information:** Use encryption for emails and files containing personal or confidential data.\n- **Back Up Regularly:** Schedule regular backups and store them securely to prevent data loss.\n- **Access Controls:** Restrict data access to only those who need it, reducing potential exposure.\n\n---\n\n### 3. Safe Usage Guidelines\n- **Be Wary of Unsolicited Emails:** Avoid clicking links or opening attachments from unknown sources. Verify sender identities.\n- **Examine HTML Emails:** Look for formatting issues or generic greetings that may indicate phishing attempts.\n- **Avoid Suspicious Content:** Refrain from interacting with unfamiliar emails, especially those requesting urgent action.\n\n---\n\n### 4. Common Security Risks and Prevention\n- **Phishing Attacks:** Fraudulent emails aiming to steal information. Educate users to recognize and report them.\n- **Spoofing:** Scammers impersonate trusted entities. Use authentication protocols to mitigate.\n- **Ransomware:** Malware that encrypts data. Prevent by avoiding suspicious links and regularly backing up data.\n\n---\n\n### 5. Privacy Protection Measures\n- **Protect Personal Info:** Be cautious with sharing personal details online.\n- **Adjust Privacy Settings:** Use platform settings to control data sharing.\n- **Public Wi-Fi Caution:** Avoid sensitive transactions on public networks due to potential security risks.\n\n---\n\n### 6. When to Seek Additional Security Support\n- **Suspicious Activity:** Report unusual account behavior or unrecognized emails to IT.\n- **Incident Occurrence:** Contact security experts if you suspect a breach.\n- **Complex Situations:** Seek help for advanced threats or large-scale issues beyond your expertise.\n\n---\n\nBy following these guidelines, users can enhance their data security practices and protect against evolving threats."
}