NS&I has issued a very serious warning to its customers regarding a surge in blocked emails, following a Freedom of Information request revealing that 132,126 emails were blocked over the past three years. These include spam, phishing attempts, malware, and Edge Block alerts from Microsoft Edge designed to stop suspicious pop-ups and ads.
Rise in Phishing Attacks
Although the total number of blocked emails has decreased over the last 12 months, phishing attacks have sharply increased from 1,043 to 4,414 in the same period. Spam accounted for the highest proportion of blocked emails, totaling 97,777 over the three-year period.
Expert Warnings
Andy Ward, SVP International at cybersecurity firm Absolute Security, stated: "Any organisation and any person can be a target for cybercriminals, so it's vital that security systems are prepared to deal with threats, particularly when large sums of money are involved." He warned that malicious actors are using AI-generated phishing emails to trick staff and gain access to systems, which could lead to severe disruptions for organisations like NS&I.
An NS&I spokesperson said: "NS&I takes the security of its systems very seriously and has robust processes in place to detect and prevent malicious communications to keep our systems and customer data secure."
Consumer Vigilance Urged
Charlotte Wilson, head of enterprise for UK & Ireland at Check Point, emphasised the importance of consumer awareness: "So many hacks leak data on people yet as a society, we have become worryingly liberal with handing over our sensitive personal and financial details." She noted that AI makes it easier for cybercriminals to find vulnerabilities, increasing the chances of attacks. She urged consumers to be cautious about sharing personal information, as even seemingly innocuous data can lead to major breaches.
