Every year or so, it seems there’s a headline along the lines that email is dying out. The reality is quite the opposite. Sure, email is used differently than ten or even five years ago, but email will continue to be used as a tool for communicating. With emails’ continued use, we’ll need to stay vigilant against spam, email spoofing, phishing attacks, and other security risks. Email security threats are on the rise, and one breach can have devastating consequences for companies, large and small. We’ll look at the best practices for enterprise email security to keep your business and data safe.
Email Encryption
Email encryption is one of the most critical factors for secure email. Encryption scrambles the content of an email message, making it unreadable for anyone that doesn’t have a decryption key. In an enterprise setting, email encryption can be used to protect sensitive information such as financial data, trade secrets, credit and customer information. To implement email encryption, enterprises can use email encryption software that integrates with their email systems.
Password Management
Password management should be a top priority for email security. Weak and easily guessable passwords can leave enterprise email accounts vulnerable to zero-day attacks, and other threats. Companies must be firm in enforcing strong password policies. Employees should be required to create unique, complex passwords that are changed periodically. Password managers can also help employees generate and manage strong accounts.
Spam and Phishing Protection
Spam and phishing attacks are among a corporation’s most common email security threats. Spam is an unsolicited and often irrelevant email sent to many recipients. Phishing, conversely, is an attempt to trick users into divulging sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card information, social security numbers, and other personal and highly sensitive data. To prevent and detect these attacks, businesses should use the most comprehensive spam filters and anti-phishing technology. These tools can automatically identify and filter out spam and phishing emails, protecting employees from clicking on malicious links or downloading malware.
Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is a security process that requires users to provide two forms of confirmation to access an account. Authentication or verification can include something only the user knows, such as a password, and something the user has, such as a mobile phone. Two-factor authentication can help prevent unauthorized access to enterprise email accounts, even if a password has been compromised. Enterprises can implement two-factor authentication using software that integrates with their email systems, such as Google Authenticator or Duo Security.
Employee Education & Awareness
Employee education and awareness is often overlooked element of email security. In fact, we often view employees as the first line of defense against email security threats. A lack of awareness can leave any company vulnerable to attacks. Your business should provide regular training to employees on email security best practices such as:
- Identifying and reporting suspicious emails
- Creating strong passwords
- Using two-factor authentication
Online tests or simulated phishing attacks can also be used to test employee awareness and identify areas where additional training may be needed.
Defend Your Enterprise with Email Security
By following best practices such as password management, email encryption, spam and phishing protection, and using two-factor authentication, your business can significantly reduce the risk of email security breaches. Don’t forget that employee education should be a top priority in creating a solid defense against threats.
These best practices are essential for ensuring email security. As email threats continue to evolve, enterprises need to stay up-to-date with the latest security technologies and techniques.
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- Protected network
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- Real-time reporting
- Spam filtering
- Outbound email filtering
- And more
Questions? Need more information? Contact us. We’re happy to answer any questions!