Conveyancer Natalie Fisher still feels violated when she thinks about the criminals who watched her for weeks or months, taking note of her digital mannerisms while plotting an attack.
Fisher’s business email was hacked in March after someone in her team fell victim to a phishing scam and clicked on a document that installed malware.
The malware enabled the hackers to monitor Fisher’s systems to become familiar with the way she interacts with clients and normal processes that could be tweaked and exploited.
Natalie Fisher says cyber insurance has now become an essential part of running a business. Credit: Simon Schluter
Once the hackers had access to the systems, they diverted client emails and responded on Fisher’s behalf. “It was like a three-way conversion that I was no longer a part of anymore,” she says.
In what is now known as business email compromise, this style of cyber attack is on the rise. The hackers’ emails often use the target company’s exact branding and writing style so the victims are none the wiser.
One of Fisher’s unsuspecting clients bought a property and was expecting to make a transfer of around $50,000 to complete the purchase. The hacker intervened and instructed the client to send the money to a trust account.
As a first home buyer, the client trusted his conveyancer so transferred the money immediately. One week later, he called Fisher to enquire about the property when the penny…
