Analysis of 385,000 emails shows 42% classified as junk in January, with one in every hundred carrying a potential security risk.
Irish SME businesses faced a heavy wave of unsolicited and potentially harmful email traffic in January, according to new analysis from Dundalk‑based managed services provider Cusken Sync IT.
The firm reviewed more than 385,000 inbound emails across 120 business domains and 3,500 mailboxes. Its assessment found that 224,725 messages, or 58%, were legitimate business communications.
“Without strong cyber protection, these businesses are at real risk of financial loss, reputational damage and business interruption”
The remaining 161,520 messages, accounting for 42%, were junk mail ranging from routine spam to emails automatically blocked by corporate security systems.
Within this volume of unwanted traffic, the company identified a persistent level of malicious activity. One in every hundred emails examined contained a cyber security threat such as phishing, malware or impersonation.
Sustained cyberattacks on Irish firms
Joe Molloy, managing director at Cusken Sync IT, said SMEs often underestimate how frequently they are targeted.
“We are constantly hearing about major international corporations being targeted by hackers, but Ireland’s SME community is just as exposed and often less prepared,” he said.
“Our analysis from the first month of the year shows Irish SMEs are under significant, sophisticated and sustained attack. Without strong cyber protection, these businesses are at real risk of financial loss, reputational damage and business interruption.”
Of the 161,520 junk emails identified, 90,451 were policy‑blocked by company systems, representing 56%. These are messages stopped automatically because they contain sensitive material, suspected malware or other elements that breach predefined security rules. A further 67,838 emails, or 42%, were flagged as spam.
Molloy said that while automated filtering helps reduce the number of malicious emails reaching employees, organisations still need to keep their defences up to date.
“Irish businesses need to ensure they are regularly reviewing their cybersecurity protocols and ensuring effective threat protection and formal employee awareness training is in place,” he said.
The findings underline what many experts have described as a growing volume of low‑cost, high‑volume digital attacks aimed at smaller firms that may not have dedicated cyber security teams.
Cusken Sync IT said the January analysis highlights the importance for SMEs of maintaining layered protections, from email filtering to staff training and incident response planning.
Top image: Joe Molloy, managing director at Cusken Sync IT
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