Real incidents. Real losses. Real sources.

Email is how
they get in.

The following incidents happened between 2024 and 2026 to US law firms, accounting firms, and real estate closings. Each one started the same way: a sensitive document or instruction was sent by email.

In 2025 alone
$0M
lost to email-based real estate fraud — FBI
Attack vector
0%
of breaches start with an email
Featured case
$4.1M
February 2026 · Rhode Island

Chicago Title — hackers intercepted closing wire instructions

The sellers' attorney email was compromised before closing. Fraudulent wire instructions were sent to the buyer, who wired the funds to the scammer's account.

Source: Insurance Business Mag
How Digital Shell prevents this

With Digital Shell, wire instructions would be shared via an encrypted link that expires after first access — not sent by email where hackers can intercept them. Even if the email was compromised, the attacker would only see a link to an expired share.

FBI — Internet Crime Report
“Business email compromise is the single most costly type of cybercrime reported in the US.”
Case studies

Seven more stories.
Same pattern.

2024 · Connecticut
$597K

Connecticut homebuyer sent funds to scammer's account

Richard Bates received an email with "updated" wire instructions that appeared to come from his attorney. Hackers had breached the law firm's email months earlier.

Prevented: A Digital Shell share link would have been traceable and watermarked. Any unauthorized access would have been recorded in the access logs, and the original link would have been revocable instantly.

January 2025
1.3 TB

Pritchard Brown — 1.7 million documents stolen

The INTERLOCK ransomware group leaked 1.3 terabytes of law firm data on the dark web, including over 1.7 million documents and 200,000 client folders.

Prevented: Documents shared via Digital Shell are encrypted end-to-end with access tied to individual recipients. A breach of our servers would expose only encrypted blobs — not readable content. Plus, access codes are hashed, not stored in plaintext.

April 2026 · Global
10 clients

Jones Day — hackers accessed client files at one of the world's largest firms

Even top-tier firms are vulnerable. Jones Day confirmed in April 2026 that hackers had accessed the files of 10 clients.

Prevented: Zero-knowledge architecture means we literally cannot read your clients' files. Even if our entire database was leaked, attackers would only see encrypted blobs. Your attorney-client privilege stays intact.

2025 · Austin, Texas
40 clients

Salling Madeley PLLC — one email click exposed W-2s worth hundreds of thousands

A single click on a phishing email exposed tax information for 40 clients at this Austin CPA firm, including W-2s with high-value estimated tax deposits.

Prevented: With Digital Shell, tax documents are never attached to emails. Clients upload them to a secure link that's encrypted in their browser. Even if the firm's email is compromised, there are no sensitive attachments to steal.

2024 · Midwest US
Firm dissolved

A 12-person Midwest accounting firm closed after a breach

Three months of client data was exfiltrated undetected. The breach was only discovered when two clients reported fraudulent tax returns filed in their names. The firm closed in 2025.

Prevented: All client data shared via Digital Shell has detailed access logs. You'd know if someone accessed a document from an unusual location — not 3 months later when your clients call you.

FBI: Online real estate fraud hit $275M in 2025

The FBI reports that email-based real estate fraud reached $275 million in losses in 2025. 17% of title companies sent client money to fraudulent accounts.

Prevented: Digital Shell never relies on email for sensitive instructions. Banking details, closing documents, and escrow info are shared through encrypted links with 6-digit access codes sent via a separate channel. Interception requires compromising two independent channels — nearly impossible.

2024 · US-wide
250+ breaches

IRS: record data breaches reported by tax professionals in 2024

The IRS received over 250 data breach reports from tax professionals in 2024, impacting more than 200,000 clients. Accounting firms face an average of 900 cyberattack attempts during tax season alone.

Prevented: IRS Publication 4557 requires secure document exchange. Digital Shell is designed to meet these requirements out of the box: zero-knowledge encryption, access logs, and retention controls that satisfy FTC Safeguards Rule compliance.

The fix

Stop the attack surface.

How most firms work today
Email attachments
  • Sent in plaintext (or with weak transport encryption)
  • Sits in inboxes forever — breaches have 3-year tail
  • Anyone with email access can read it
  • No visibility into who opened or forwarded
  • Can be impersonated by spoofed domains
  • Impossible to revoke once sent
How it should work
Digital Shell
  • End-to-end encrypted in the browser (AES-256)
  • Links expire automatically (1h to 30 days)
  • Access requires a separate 6-digit code
  • Real-time view tracking with location & device
  • Watermarked with recipient identity
  • Instantly revocable at any time

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