Phishing in cosmetic companies

By Esteban Sardanyés on Aug 3, 2026, 9:00:02 AM

<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >Phishing in cosmetic companies</span>

AI-powered phishing has transformed fraudulent emails into messages that are virtually indistinguishable from legitimate ones. In just two years, this type of attack has increased by 466% in Spain and has become one of the biggest cybersecurity threats facing businesses.

The cosmetics industry is becoming one of cybercriminals' primary targets. The constant exchange of information with suppliers and customers, daily financial transactions, and the handling of sensitive data mean that a single fraudulent email can compromise payments, orders, formulas, or personal information.

How phishing works and why it is a risk for cosmetic companies

Phishing is a social engineering technique designed to trick employees or executives into revealing confidential information, downloading malicious files, or authorizing fraudulent transactions while believing they are interacting with a legitimate supplier, customer, or online platform.

In the cosmetics industry, these attacks often impersonate packaging manufacturers, raw material suppliers, logistics providers, online marketplaces, or e-commerce platforms, taking advantage of the trust that exists throughout the supply chain.

The consequences can be severe:

Theft of login credentials.
Fraudulent wire transfers or payment fraud.
Exposure of customer data.
Theft of formulas, product designs, or intellectual property.
Disruption of manufacturing or distribution processes.
Reputational damage and loss of customer trust.

Why is the cosmetics industry a prime target?

Companies in this sector share several characteristics that increase their attack surface:

High volume of daily orders and transactions.
Continuous relationships with domestic and international suppliers.
E-commerce platforms and digital sales channels.
Customer databases containing personal information.
Confidential information related to formulas, products, and manufacturing processes.

For a cybercriminal, compromising a single corporate account may be enough to gain access to multiple systems or initiate a high-impact financial fraud.

How to detect a phishing attack before it becomes an incident

Modern phishing attacks use nearly identical domains, AI-generated email signatures, and professionally written messages. As a result, detection must focus on the context rather than just the appearance of the email.

5 warning signs that should raise concern

Detected situation	Associated risk
A supplier urgently requests a change to its bank account details	Payment fraud or unauthorized fund transfers
You receive a link to access the ERP, CRM, or e-commerce platform	Credential theft
The system detects logins from unknown locations	Corporate account compromise
Invoices or delivery notes arrive with compressed files or macro-enabled documents	Malware or ransomware installation
The email creates a strong sense of urgency or pressure	Social engineering manipulation

What to do if an employee opens a suspicious email

The first few hours are critical to containing an incident. Acting quickly can prevent an attacker from moving laterally across the corporate network or compromising additional systems.

1. Isolate the affected device immediately

If a suspicious link has been opened or a file has been downloaded, disconnect the device from the corporate network to prevent lateral movement within the organization.

2. Revoke access and change credentials

Force affected users to sign out of all active sessions and reset their passwords, especially for accounts with access to critical business systems.

3. Verify the authenticity of the message

Before making any payment or sharing sensitive information, confirm the request through an alternative communication channel, such as calling the supplier directly.

4. Notify the cybersecurity team

Report the incident immediately to your IT department or cybersecurity provider so they can assess the scope of the attack, block the malicious domain, and begin containment measures.

How to prevent phishing in cosmetic companies

The most effective strategy is to reduce the likelihood of a successful attack before it reaches employees.

Ongoing security awareness training

More than 75% of security incidents involve human error. Providing regular cybersecurity awareness training and phishing simulations helps employees recognize fraudulent emails before they compromise the organization.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Implementing MFA across all corporate accounts ensures that stolen credentials alone are not enough to access company systems, adding an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access.

Security assessments

Regular security assessments help identify vulnerabilities in servers, e-commerce platforms, email systems, and business applications before they can be exploited.

Continuous monitoring

Continuous infrastructure monitoring makes it possible to detect unusual behavior, suspicious access attempts, and potential intrusions before they escalate into a security incident.

Why choose ESED as your cybersecurity partner for cosmetic companies?

The most effective way to reduce the risk of phishing attacks is to implement a proactive cybersecurity strategy capable of identifying threats before they impact your business.

At ESED, we work with a fixed monthly service model that keeps your systems continuously monitored and protected, with no unexpected costs and a strong focus on business continuity. This proactive approach allows organizations to prevent incidents instead of reacting after operations have already been affected.