Have you ever received an email like this? This was the trickiest cyberattack theme in 2020. Attackers were very creative and they used very tricky themes during last year. Here are some examples;
Trickiest Themes
1. Free month of Netflix streaming for employees
2. Vacation contract rental
3. Starbucks pumpkin spice season
4. 2020 Summer Olympics advanced ticket sales
5. Overdue invoice reminder
Most-Used Themes
1. New Microsoft Teams request
2. Coronavirus advisory alert and health warning
3. Office 365 password expiration notice
4. Deactivation of old OneDrive account
5. OneDrive shared contract notification
2020 was a challenging year for all of us. Not only health concerns and stress but as individuals, we have also been tested by security problems too. 2020 was an exceptional year for cybersecurity issues and phishing attacks. Cyberattacks came in very different forms; email, social media, text and even phone calls. According to the 2021 State of the Pishing Report of Proofpoint Inc., a cybersecurity and compliance company, “74% of U.S. organizations experienced a successful phishing attack last year, 30% higher than the global average and a 14% year-over-year increase”. This report also shows that cyberattacks’ common ways were large volumes of credential phishing emails and social engineering techniques, leading to data loss. The impacts of successful phishing attacks were also remarkable; 60% of data loss, 52% of credential/account compromise and 18% of financial loss. Those numbers can tell us so much about how significant is the threat of cyberattacks.
2020 was also an unlucky year for some organizations that experienced a ransomware attack. They had to pay attackers’ ransom to regain access to their systems. According to the 2021 State of the Pishing Report, “Victims who paid in 2020 were less likely to regain access after the first payment than they were the year before, and requests for additional ransom demands rose by more than 320% in 2020.” Very scary, isn’t it?
Of course, organizations have taken action against the attackers. According to this report, in 2020, “Their customers sent more than 60 million phishing tests to their users, nearly 15 million more than were sent in 2019”. Although there was a slight decrease in the average failure rate of 11% in 2020, according to the report, we believe that companies must continue to respond to test how well users can recognize and avoid phishing threats. Another critical point is to be able to create tricky campaign template themes to test users.
If you want to learn more about how attackers continue to get more creative and how companies respond to those attacks, you can download Proofpoint Inc.’s report here 2021 State of the Phish report.
Unleash Your Inner Tech-Titan
Where IT Doesn’t Just Work, It Transforms.
Let’s be real: IT challenges are getting tougher than a two-dollar steak. At X10 Technologies, we’re the national systems integrator who walks into that complexity and says, “Hold our coffee.”
We are the trusted advisors for organizations who want to operate not just securely, but ahead of the curve. Our secret sauce? A relentless focus on cybersecurity, infrastructure, cloud, and managed services, delivering outcome driven solutions that actually make a difference.
We don’t do short-term flings; we build long-term partnerships anchored in technical mastery. If you’re looking for a place that doesn’t just deliver solutions but actively powers transformation, welcome home.
Role Overview
Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept it (Spoiler: You Should)
Are you ready to be the growth catalyst for X10 in British Columbia? Think of yourself as the highly caffeinated, strategically brilliant engine driving our market expansion.
As our Account Executive, you won’t just be “selling stuff.” You’ll be the person opening doors that matter, forging strategic relationships that last, and bringing future forward technology solutions to life for clients who need them yesterday.
If you’re craving a seat at the table where strategy, technology, and opportunity don’t just meet, they collide in a shower of sparks, this is it.
We’re looking for someone who treats a cold call like a conversation with a future best friend.
Key Responsibilities
• Develop and grow a portfolio of assigned accounts through strategic planning, prospecting, and relationship management
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with customer stakeholders, decision-makers, and influencers
• Understand customer challenges and align X10’s technology offerings to deliver measurable business outcomes
• Manage the full sales cycle from opportunity identification through to close, including contract negotiation and forecasting
• Collaborate with internal technical teams and vendor partners to architect winning solutions
• Represent X10 at industry events, trade shows, and partner engagements
• Achieve and exceed annual sales targets, contributing to overall company growth
• Maintain accurate pipeline and CRM data to support forecasting and reporting
• Stay informed on emerging technologies and industry trends relevant to client needs
Qualifications
• 10+ years of progressive sales experience in the IT industry, preferably with a manufacturer, Value-Added Reseller (VAR) or systems integrator
• Experience working with public sector clients (education, government, or healthcare) is preferred
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding quota in a high-performance sales environment
• Deep understanding of enterprise technology solutions including networking, cybersecurity, cloud, and managed services
• Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
• Self-starter with a high degree of initiative and accountability
• Ability to build and maintain trust-based, consultative relationships with clients and internal stakeholders
• Market-leading base salary complemented by commission earnings
• Prior experience in the industry is required, with a background working for a VAR or vendor.