Saudi companies leaving customers at risk of receiving fraudulent emails

According to Proofpoint research, while more than half (57%) of the top 150 Saudi organizations have published a DMARC record (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), only 21% have implemented the strictest and recommended level of DMARC protection (‘reject,’ putting their customers at risk of email fraud.

DMARC is an email validation protocol that verifies the sender’s identity before allowing the message to be delivered to its intended recipient. It is intended to keep cybercriminals from misusing domain names. The strictest and most recommended level of DMARC protection is ‘Reject,’ a setting and policy that prevents fraudulent emails from reaching their intended recipient.

Emile Abou Saleh, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa at Proofpoint, said: “The Saudi economy is on an accelerated path to recovery, which is great for businesses. To keep the momentum going, Saudi organizations must ensure that they invest in robust fraud detection and prevention mechanisms to safeguard themselves from opportunistic cybercriminals. By implementing DMARC, organizations can ensure that only legitimate emails are properly authenticated and that fraudulent activity, including phishing, impersonation attacks and other unauthorised use of corporate domains, are shut down before they reach customers.”

Emile added: “Saudi Arabia is witnessing the fastest growth it has seen in a decade. As the Kingdom strengthens its economic diversification agenda, it will need to build robust defences to secure its national infrastructure. Investing in the right cyber defences will be invaluable for Saudi organizations in the future.”

Proofpoint’s global findings revealed that 38% of the top 150 organizations worldwide have the strictest, recommended level of DMARC (Reject), implying that 62% are not using secure communication methods to proactively block fraudulent emails from reaching customers. This makes businesses more vulnerable to cybercriminals impersonating them and increasing the risk of email fraud targeting their customers.