The Need For Email Security
Due to the popularity of email as an attack vector, it is critical that enterprises and individuals take measures to secure their email accounts against common attacks as well as attempts at unauthorized access to accounts or communications.
Malware sent via email messages can be quite critical. Phishing emails sent to employees often contain malware in attachments created to look like legitimate documents or include hyperlinks that lead to websites that serve malware. Opening an email attachment or clicking on a link in an email can be all that it takes for accounts or devices to become compromised.
Phishing emails can also be used to trick recipients into sharing sensitive information, often by posing as a legitimate business or trusted contacts. Phishing attacks against businesses often target departments that handle sensitive personal or financial information, such as accounts payable or human resources. In addition to mimicking known vendors or company managers, attackers will try to instil a sense of urgency in phishing emails to increase their chances of success. Phishing emails aimed at stealing information typically will ask recipients to confirm their login information, passwords, social security number, bank account numbers, and even credit card information. Some even link to counterfeit websites that look exactly like that of a reputable vendor or business partner to trick victims into entering account or financial information.
Enterprise Email Security Best Practices
There are multiple ways to secure email accounts, and for enterprises, it’s a two-pronged approach surrounding employee education and comprehensive security protocols. Best practices for email security include:
- Engage employees in ongoing security education around email security risks and how to avoid falling victim to phishing attacks over email.
- Require employees to use strong passwords and mandate password changes periodically.
- Utilize email encryption to protect both email content and attachments.
- Implement security best practices for BYOD if your company allows employees to access corporate email on personal devices.
- Ensure that webmail applications are able to secure logins and use encryption.
- Implement scanners and other tools to scan messages and block emails containing malware or other malicious files before they reach your end users.
- Implement a data protection solution to identify sensitive data and prevent it from being lost via email.