Email Security Intelligence - Everything On DocuSign Phishing Attacks in 3 Minutes

Cybercriminals increasingly exploit remote workers on online work platforms as they become the status quo. One such environment would be Microsoft 365, a server with weak cybersecurity tools for users.

Suppose companies misconfigure cloud platforms and rely on cloud email security. In that case, threat actors can hack the system more efficiently, as the built-in features on Microsoft are less effective than a user would assume. The most significant email threat to Microsoft 365 right now is the types of phishing attacks that utilize DocuSign to trick employees into handing over login credentials to a malicious source. This article will discuss DocuSign email security issues, ways to stay up-to-date on the latest alerts, and a solution to consider when strengthening your cybersecurity platforms.

What Is DocuSign Phishing? & Other FAQs

DocuSign is a software company that provides organizations with an easy method for e-signatures so businesses can handle how to get permissions across the country. If two bases exist for a company far from each other, DocuSign makes it easier for the two organizations to interact and complete daily tasks.

DocuSign itself is not a phishing scam. However, many threat actors create false websites that impersonate this online authentication system to steal login credentials and sensitive information. This can pose a serious issue, as companies will assume the scam is the trustworthy DocuSign website only to be phished in the long run. Therefore, while DocuSign is not an email threat, you still must be cautious when opening such messages.

How Do DocuSign Email Scams Work?

During a DocuSign attack, threat actors use sophisticated impersonation tactics to formulate believable email notifications they send out to victims who, in a successful attack, trust the sender enough to reply with sensitive data. 

A user will receive a fraudulent email that appears to be a legitimate message from DocuSign notifying them that a document is ready for review. The link victims click on has concealed malicious code that redirects users to the scam website. This setup helps cybercriminals bypass malware URL scanners and other advanced threat detection services that usually quarantine emails and prevent attacks. However, built-in email security features must be more robust to combat this threat. Once victims fall for the scam, they face compromised accounts, stolen login credentials, and data loss.

This attack is most successful on Microsoft Office 365 platforms where the organization still needs to update, customize, or reconfigure the server to be more challenging to breach. The uniformity of Microsoft services helps threat actors attack more companies at once using the same tactics.

What Is An Example of a DocuSign Attack?

In a DocuSign attack, a threat actor might send someone a spoofed email that looks like a safe, secure email from DocuSign. When they open the message, it will look legitimate and contain some form of urgency or a tone of extreme importance that will convince the recipient to act quickly and without much thought. Thus, this phishing attack tricks users into inputting information into a malicious website before they can access the message and verify it is trustworthy to reply. Then, hackers will have what they need to cause email security breaches throughout the server.

What Happens If I Open A DocuSign Email Attack?

If you encounter a DocuSign attack, notify your security team immediately. Avoid accessing or downloading links or files in the message that could have malicious code. If you already opened something in the email, consider what information you sent to the company and change those credentials as soon as possible.

Remember to be cautious when opening messages from unknown senders. Check that the email address matches the name listed in the email. If you are unsure, message the person in a separate chain to verify that they sent the suspicious message, and be sure to quarantine emails that supposed senders do not recognize.

To What Extent Should I Be Concerned About Phishing Risks?

DocuSign email security issues can vary depending on what server you use or how strong your IT team and configurations are. However, here are some concrete statistics that can help put everything into perspective when considering the threat of phishing in general:

• The FBI reported that thirty percent of phishing incidents successfully breach and attack existing target systems.
• Osterman Research calculated that forty percent of Microsoft 365 users experienced credential theft and data loss despite installing email protection.
• In May 2020, Guardian Digital’s EnGarde Cloud Email Security software detected more phishing emails than any other threat in any month following the company’s inception in 1999.

These statistics show how various types of phishing attacks frequently pose an issue to most businesses.

How Can I Defend Against DocuSign Phishing Attacks in Microsoft 365?

Unfortunately, Microsoft 365 users do not experience the highest email security level with built-in features. It is vital to install and implement solutions with critical layers of security to combat today’s advanced email threats.

Guardian Digital offers EnGarde Cloud Email Security as a threat-ready, fully-managed cloud email security software that prevents issues that result from Microsoft’s insufficient default protections. EnGarde is a defense-in-depth solution that does all of the monitoring for you, as our IT teams watch over your servers 24/7/365 to ensure you always have a secure email. 

Consider utilizing the tips and advice in this blog post to strengthen your system during remote work. Microsoft 365 is not strong enough, so you must know every tactic you can implement to guarantee email security on your entire system.

Keep Learning About DocuSign Phishing Attacks

As more complex cloud email attacks emerge, you must ensure all remote workers using Microsoft 365 have additional protection services. This server alone cannot safeguard users or stay up-to-date on the latest email security solutions. EnGarde is a multi-layered, comprehensive approach to security that ensures you are safe against DocuSign phishing attacks and other email threats. Download our free eGuide to learn more about the best practices for email security that can help you stay safe using Microsoft 365.