Email accounts are an essential tool in every company and have earned relevance through time. To exchange ideas, meetings, formal and informal matters, emails have become essential for business communication.
In the process of migrating to a broader use of digital platforms, risks make themselves present in many ways. Email accounts are the primary way for hackers to obtain access to confidential information or data that should stay within the company’s bounds.
According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) data gathered in 2018, business email earned hackers $1.3 billion a year. Corporate data breaches are worth $117 million a year, while identity theft costs victims $100 million a year. In this investigation, the IC3 emphasizes that the Business Email Compromise, also known as “BEC” is the most profitable cybercrime existing for cyber attackers. BEC is when hackers take over any corporate email account to use it as a way of accessing the company’s bank accounts for money theft.
Finding new ways to ensure your business protection is never an exaggerated effort. The key to protection is to involve and invest workers in the success of your security strategy. To get you started, here are seven tips you can follow for a more secure email strategy.
1. Making the development and execution of a cyber security strategy a top priority.
You should make sure to include diverse strategies for keeping all your information safe (website, payments, etc.), but always prioritize email security.
2. Email encryption.
This will help you protect all your personal information from hackers by only giving access to certain users.
3. Certifying the security of your passwords.
It’s important to update passwords every 2-3 months. Ask your employees to have stronger passwords including 12 characters or more.
4. Establishing a policy for email retention.
Ask workers to purge emails that do not help business activities and to adopt a program that ensures enforcement.
5. Training employees in email security.
Employees have a vital role in keeping data safe via email. Some important rules that will help them boost security are:
6. Strict standards for company-related mobile device usage.
When using a company-issued mobile device or a personal mobile device where you send and receive company emails, employees should encrypt data, keep the device password safe, and install authorized security applications so that hackers cannot access devices via shared Wi-Fi networks.
7. Prevention of common pitfalls when securing email.
All computers—not just a few—should use email encryption.
Looking to learn more about secure email for your business? Be sure to contact us and you will receive all the security guidance needed to keep your email accounts away from hackers.
