Email security is important to all successful businesses. It is the most common medium we use in everyday operations to send important information. If emails are compromised, you could be at risk for serious repercussions. The good news is, it is possible to prevent most unfortunate email security circumstances - by setting email security standards for your business. Here are some of the email security best practices to include on your list of standards:
- Use secure servers for email communication.
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is an encryption technology that allows you to communicate with your email server using enhanced encryption security. It uses two separate “keys” to encrypt all email data – a public key and a private key, which only the recipient has access to. This means that in the unlikely event that an email is intercepted, it won't be readable to the intercepting party without the private key.
- Use enterprise-grade Spam Filters.
Sometimes, spam is malicious. You may find yourself on the wrong end of a phishing scheme or accidentally downloading malicious software from someone trying to appear as a reputable company. This can happen to anyone. Enterprise-grade spam filtering can help prevent most of those emails from making it to your inbox in the first place, eliminating the risk.
- Setup Internal Polices.
Policies mitigate errors by eliminating actions that put your business at risk. Tell your employees exactly what they should and should not do, and why, and you can work as a team to ensure email security. Here are a few questions for you to consider when establishing email policies:
- Can employees combine personal and business email accounts?
- Is there a right way to open attachments? · Are there any dangers to be aware of in forwarded emails?
- What restrictions are there for sending and receiving emails from external contacts?
The final step is to ensure that every employee is familiar with these policies, and they know where to go to address any additional questions they may have.
- Close and Forward Accounts for Ex-Employees.
Closing an account ensures that when employees leave your organization, they no longer have access to their account and your business operations. Forwarding ensures the business they were handling becomes the responsibility of a current employee who's capable of completing or delegating the continued communication.
- Don’t Send Mass Emails with Outlook.
Certain websites, like Constant Contact or Mail Chimp, are designed to send mass emails. If you use your personal Outlook account for mass emailing, your email address will likely be flagged as spam, which puts you at risk of being shut down by your email provider.
- Password Protection.
Not all email security breaches happen over the Internet. It can be as simple as having someone steal an unprotected laptop. Require your employees using mobile devices to access company data to secure them with passwords. This will add a layer of protection, preventing immediate access to emails, contacts and other data.
As a business, it's imperative that you keep your employees, customers and data safe from security threats. By creating and implementing a standard set of email security best practices, you can protect your company from undesirable attacks. Call Tri-Copy today to schedule a free consultation.
