8 Best Practices for Email Threat Protection in the Workplace
Email is still the most popular form of communication in the workplace. People use it to resolve issues, send files, and for many other purposes. Just like any other online communication channel, email has its vulnerabilities.
If somebody manages to recognize them, they might try to break into your network. It might have very negative consequences, especially if they access confidential information.
So, you can’t neglect proper security when it comes to email. Let us tell you more about the threats you might face and tips on how to handle them.
Common Email Threats
First, you need to understand the possible dangers that await you. Cybercriminals never stop learning, and they become smarter each year. Even if you think your systems are perfectly protected, you can’t eliminate the possibility of attacks.
As Window Snyder, the Chief Security Officer of Fastly, Square, Inc. and Apple, said
“One single vulnerability is what the attacker needs.”
So, we gathered the most common email security threats. Check them out below and find out what provokes them.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing is probably the most prevalent email threat. Basically, attackers send deceptive messages. Their main aim is to trick employees into revealing sensitive information, like passwords or financial details.
These emails often appear to come from trusted sources. For example, they might pretend to be a manager or a financial institution. They may include malicious links or attachments. These attacks usually result in
- Data breaches;
- Identity theft;
- Financial loss.
Spear Phishing
This type of phishing differs a bit from the general one. This one targets specific individuals or organizations. Spear attacks are more personalized and convincing.
Criminals often gather details from social media or previous breaches to make the email seem more legitimate. It can be extremely hard to detect these attacks.
Business Email Compromise
BEC is an advanced type of fraud. Here attackers impersonate a high-level executive or a trusted partner. It allows them to manipulate employees into transferring money or revealing sensitive info.
This type of attack relies mostly on social engineering. It’s especially dangerous because it doesn’t depend on software vulnerabilities.
Malware
Malware-laden messages usually have malicious attachments or links. They upload dangerous software to your computer once you click on them.
Ransomware is a specific type of malware. It encrypts your files and holds them hostage until you pay the hackers.
Email Spoofing
Attackers might fabricate the sender’s email address to make it look like a trustworthy source. They make it seem legitimate, so you’ll probably follow their request.
Also, someone might use spoofed emails to spread misinformation within your company or to external partners.
Spam
These messages are not always dangerous. However, spam can lead to security risks if you interact with them. These messages often have
- Deceptive content;
- Fake offers;
- Links to hostile websites, etc.
You may accidentally download malware or expose yourself to adware. Also, a lot of spam may clog up your inboxes and reduce productivity.
For your convenience, we’ve created a table. You can see the main factors that provoke these attacks and the outcomes you might face if they happen.
| Threat | Reason | Negative Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Phishing | Poor security awareness | Data breaches, unauthorized access, and financial loss |
| Spear Phishing | Exposure of personal information | Identity theft, financial fraud, and exploitation of personal/business data |
| BEC | Weak email authentication | Financial fraud, loss of company reputation, and unauthorized wire transfers |
| Malware | Malicious attachments or downloads from untrusted sources | System infection, data corruption, and operational downtime |
| Email Spoofing | Weak authentication protocols | Fraud and exploitation of recipient confidence |
| Spam | Lack of spam filters | Productivity loss and potential malware and phishing |
Best Practices for Email Protection
You already know about the main risks of using email in the workplace. Now, let’s talk about safeguarding this communication channel.
Of course, even the best security can’t guarantee you full protection. However, some measures can help you lower the possibility of these attacks. Try to follow these practices and you’ll definitely see some security improvements.
Strong Unique Passwords
The first and probably the simplest step you can take is to create a strong password for your account. It is the primary barrier between your personal info and potential hackers. A weak one makes it easier to access your network.
What makes the password strong?
It has to be difficult to guess, even by sophisticated hacking methods. Try to follow these tips to strengthen it:
- Aim for at least 12 characters;
- Make it complex (mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols);
- Avoid predictable information (company name, date of founding, sequential letters or numbers).
Also, you can’t reuse the same password for multiple accounts. Attackers will easily access your other systems if they manage to compromise one of them. For example, they might enter your bank account if they already have access to your email.
These strong combinations might be too complicated to remember. So, we recommend using password managers. These useful tools will store them for you and you’ll only have to remember a single master combination. Here are some popular tools you can use:
- LastPass;
- Bitwarden;
- Dashlane;
- Keeper;
- 1Password;
- Email address verifier.
Two-Factor Authentication
A single password can’t protect your account fully. You can use 2FA to strengthen the security.
How does it work?
You must follow two steps to access your account. First, you need to input your password. Next, the system will ask for a verification code or a biometric factor.
Common methods for the second form of authentication are
- SMS or email code;
- Authenticator apps;
- Physical security keys;
- Fingerprints or facial recognition.
Regular Software Updates
The next step in maintaining your business email secure is regular software updates. Outdated software usually has many security flaws that criminals might exploit.
Many updates include security patches that handle new vulnerabilities. Plus, they often bring improvements to functionality and performance. The latest versions allow you to minimize potential bugs or glitches that could compromise security.
Also, keep in mind that new protocols and security measures appear all the time. You need to ensure your email platform remains compatible with modern encryption and authentication methods. It will help you avoid data leaks.
We know how tiring it might be to check for all these updates manually. So, we strongly recommend using automation here. That way, you’ll get all the critical patches as soon as they appear.
Encryption
This method can help you protect the sensitive info inside your email. Encryption transforms this content into an unreadable format. Only a person with a decryption key can read it.
We want to describe two main methods of email encryption – public and end-to-end.
The first one uses one public and one private key. Public one is available to anyone who wants to send an encrypted email. The private key remains confidential and allows you to decode the message.
In the end-to-end system, the sender’s device encrypts the email. Only the recipient’s device can decrypt it. No one can read the message in transit.
Spam Filters
You can incorporate spam filters to identify and block unwanted messages. These tools use different techniques to classify email as spam, like
- Keyword analysis;
- Sender reputation evaluation;
- Heuristic analysis (assess links, structure, content, etc.);
- Bayesian filtering (based on previous interactions).
You can adjust the filters to your exact needs. For example, you might change their sensitivity to reduce false positives. Yet, we still recommend you check the spam folder occasionally to ensure you don’t miss any important messages.
Also, try to report any spam that bypasses your filter. It will help you improve its efficiency for you and other users.
No Public Wi-Fi
We often use public Wi-Fi networks because they are convenient. However, they mostly lack adequate security measures. So, we recommend not to use them for your business emails.
There might be situations when public networks are your only option. In this case, follow these tips to avoid negative consequences:
- Connect to a VPN;
- Refrain from sending sensitive or personal info;
- Disable file and public folder sharing;
- Connect to networks that require a password;
- Log out after you finish your session.
Employee Education
Your employees are the first line of defense against email threats. So, you need to invest more time in their education. They have to know how to recognize different hazards and respond to them.
First, you need to emphasize how important cybersecurity is. Outline the types of threats they might face. Try to use real examples to illustrate their impact.
Establish clear procedures for reporting any phishing or hacking attempts. You need to create an environment where workers feel comfortable discussing any concerns without fear of blame. Try to reward those who actively participate in cybersecurity practices.
Also, you need to host training sessions regularly. You can create simulations for attacks to give your workers a realistic experience. Give them feedback and offer additional resources. For instance, you can provide them with online courses or webinars.
Data Backups
The last practice we want to mention is not exactly a security one. As we’ve noted before, nothing can give you a 100% protection. So, it’s essential to do backups to avoid data loss.
How can you do that?
- Use the in-built backup option if available;
- Incorporate third-party tools that automate this process (MailStore, Backupify, etc.);
- Cloud storage solutions (Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive);
- Save messages to an external hard drive or USB flash drive.
Also, we recommend you label and organize all your messages before you use any of these methods. Create a backup schedule and set reminders to follow it. Try to test your chosen solution regularly to ensure it works properly.
Conclusion
Email security in the workplace is essential, as we use it for most business communications. Your messages might have some confidential info or financial details you wouldn’t want to expose.
Attackers always find new ways to break into your system. So, you have to combine diverse measures to provide a strong defense.
Try to use strong passwords and 2FA, and teach your employees about cybersecurity. Never neglect software updates and always back up your important messages.
We hope that our guide was useful. Be aware of the email threats we described and incorporate the practices we outlined in your workflow.