Cybersecurity definition
What is BEC?
BEC stands for Business Email Compromise.
By Cyber Tool Stack Editorial TeamUpdated
Definition
A scam where an attacker impersonates an executive, vendor, or trusted contact — often via a compromised or look-alike account — to trick an employee into wiring money or sharing sensitive data, typically without any malware or malicious link involved.
Where BEC fits in the security landscape
These beginner lessons use this term while explaining the surrounding security control.
Related cybersecurity terms
Spear PhishingA phishing attack tailored to a specific person or organization using researched details — a colleague's name, a real project, a familiar vendor — to appear far more convincing than a generic mass phishing email.PhishingA social-engineering attack that tricks someone into clicking a malicious link, entering credentials on a fake page, or running an attached file.