Mission Interrupted: Nonprofits Face a Rising Wave of Email Attacks

Nonprofit organizations exist to serve communities, provide critical services, and drive meaningful change. However, their altruistic missions do not exempt them from cyber threats. In fact, the very nature of their operations—handling donor information, operating on limited security budgets, and relying on volunteers—makes them particularly vulnerable to attackers.

Over the past year, email attacks on nonprofit organizations have steadily risen, placing their financial stability, reputation, and beneficiaries at risk. Understanding why cybercriminals target nonprofits and how attack patterns are evolving is essential for strengthening defenses against these growing threats.

With limited resources and high trust, nonprofits present an ideal target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities.

First, the nonprofit sector relies heavily on donor contributions and grant funding, which means financial transactions are frequently processed via email. Cybercriminals capitalize on this by launching business email compromise (BEC) and vendor email compromise (VEC) attacks—impersonating executives, board members, or trusted vendors to manipulate employees into redirecting funds.

Operating with tight budgets and minimal IT resources, nonprofits are often more vulnerable to cyber threats in general than corporations with dedicated security teams and robust security infrastructures. Worse, the reliance on volunteers and part-time staff, many of whom lack formal cybersecurity training, increases the likelihood of falling victim to social engineering schemes.

Compounding the risk, nonprofits often maintain partnerships with major enterprises, government agencies, and high-net-worth donors, making them potential entry points for broader supply chain attacks.

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Over the past year, advanced email attacks on nonprofit organizations have grown by 35.2%—underscoring the sector’s growing vulnerability.

One major driver of this uptick is the rising sophistication of social engineering attacks. Attackers craft highly targeted messages designed to bypass traditional email security filters and trick recipients into divulging credentials or making unauthorized transactions.

Additionally, the increased reliance on digital fundraising, online donor engagement, and remote collaboration tools has expanded nonprofits’ attack surface, giving cybercriminals more opportunities to exploit gaps in security. Nonprofits also frequently interact with external donors, vendors, and grant organizations via email, making it easier for attackers to pose as trusted individuals and manipulate recipients into taking harmful actions.

Credential phishing attacks on nonprofit organizations, in particular, have escalated by 50.4% over the past year. By stealing login credentials, cybercriminals gain access to internal communications, donor databases, and financial records, allowing them to launch further attacks or sell sensitive information on the dark web.

Nonprofits are particularly vulnerable to phishing due to the wide range of individuals who interact with their systems, including employees, volunteers, and external partners. Attackers can masquerade as major donors, grant organizations, or even regulatory agencies, using social engineering tactics to pressure targets into clicking malicious links or downloading compromised attachments. In some cases, cybercriminals use phishing to hijack nonprofit social media accounts, exploiting the organization’s credibility to deceive followers and supporters.

In August 2024, Reuters reported that Russian-linked hackers had launched a phishing campaign targeting NGOs, think tanks, and civil society groups by impersonating known contacts to steal login credentials. The attack compromised internal communications and sensitive data, posing a significant risk to nonprofit operations and their advocacy efforts.

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Malware attacks targeting nonprofits have increased by 26.2%, with email serving as the primary delivery method. Malicious attachments disguised as invoices, grant approvals, or donor lists trick recipients into unknowingly executing malware, which can lead to data breaches, ransomware, or financial fraud.

Given the sensitive nature of nonprofit operations—e.g., storing donor payment information, healthcare data, or advocacy-related communications—malware attacks can have severe consequences. Ransomware, in particular, has become a growing concern, as attackers encrypt vital files and demand payments that many resource-strapped organizations may struggle to afford. Without sufficient backups or robust security measures, nonprofits face operational paralysis, data loss, and lasting reputational damage.

In May 2024, a phishing email led to a ransomware attack on Ascension, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems, which operates 140 hospitals across the U.S., disrupting clinical operations and forcing emergency care diversions. The attack resulted in widespread IT system outages, delaying patient care and requiring hospitals to revert to manual processes.

The surge in email attacks on nonprofit organizations highlights the need for stronger cybersecurity measures within the sector. While many nonprofits prioritize mission-driven work over IT security, failing to address these growing threats could have devastating consequences for their operations, financial health, and the communities they serve.

An AI-native email security solution offers a proactive defense against evolving cyber threats. By leveraging behavioral analysis and machine learning, these solutions detect and block sophisticated attacks before they reach inboxes. Protecting donor data, securing financial transactions, and maintaining public trust are critical to ensuring nonprofits can continue their vital work without disruption.

Proactive defense strategies are no longer optional—they are a necessity for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits must recognize that safeguarding their digital infrastructure is integral to protecting their mission and the communities that depend on them.

See for yourself how Abnormal AI provides comprehensive email protection against attacks that exploit human behavior. Schedule a demo today.