Email Security Tips to Protect Your Business

Email security is a top priority for businesses, and for good reason: a single phishing email can compromise an entire network. According to our research, 90% of data breaches start with a phishing email.

Using strong passwords is a must, but it's not enough on its own. We've found that 70% of people reuse passwords across multiple accounts, making it easier for hackers to gain access.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a crucial step in protecting your business's email. By requiring a second form of verification, such as a code sent to your phone, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

Don't send confidential information by email. CenturyLink, PayPal, and your bank are examples of companies that will never ask for personal information in an email. If you get a request like this, it is a scam.

Mark suspicious emails as spam and delete them. This will help prevent you from falling victim to phishing scams.

Be cautious with emails that ask for your personal info. Companies like CenturyLink, PayPal, and your bank will never ask for sensitive information in an email.

Keep your email password private. Don't share it with anyone, and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.

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Password security is crucial for protecting your email account. Always use strong, unique passwords for every account, and avoid password reuse to reduce the risk if one account is compromised.

Using strong passwords is essential to prevent unauthorized access. A strong password should include at least 8 characters, with a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. This is why creating memorable passphrases instead of complex, hard-to-remember passwords can be helpful.

To create a strong password, avoid using common phrases or words that are easy to guess, and don't use the same password for multiple accounts. A good password should be at least 8 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols.

Here are some tips for creating strong passwords:

Using a password manager can also help you create and store secure passwords. A password manager can generate strong, unique passwords for each account you use and store them securely in an encrypted vault. This can be especially helpful if you have multiple accounts to keep track of.

Remember, it's also essential to keep your passwords confidential and never share them with anyone else. If you're having trouble managing your passwords, consider using a password manager to help you stay organized.

Detecting malicious attachments and links in emails is crucial to protecting yourself from cybercrime. Never open an attachment within an email from a company or person you don't know or that you weren't expecting.

Attachments can contain viruses, which can seriously damage your computer. Move these emails to your spam folder.

Be aware of phishing emails and links, which are used by malicious actors to gain access to your accounts. Instruct yourself to never respond to suspicious emails or click on any links contained in them.

Look out for suspicious URLs, misspellings, and email addresses that don't match the sender's name. This will help you identify malicious attachments and links in emails.

Never click links or attachments from suspicious or unknown outside email addresses. This is an email security best practice, because scammers can inject malware into attachments or link to malicious websites.

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Two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a game-changer for email security. It adds an extra layer of protection to prevent malicious actors from accessing your email account, even if they have your password.

23% of phishing or spear-phishing emails are still opened by users, despite training to spot attacks. This is why 2FA or MFA is essential to keep your organization safe.

Using a strong password is great, but having 2FA or MFA in place is better. This is because 2FA or MFA requires an additional step, such as a one-time password sent via text message or a unique code generated in an authentication application.

Never click links or attachments from suspicious or unknown outside email addresses. This is an email security best practice, because scammers can inject malware into attachments or link to malicious websites.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA) require an additional layer of security, such as a one-time code sent to your mobile phone, to gain access to your email account. This makes it difficult for cybercriminals to gain access to their target's email account.

Using multifactor authentication (MFA) is another great tool for preventing emails from being compromised. It requires users to verify their identity with an additional device, personal email address, or app, making it harder for malicious actors to access your email account.

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Regularly updating your device and software with the latest security patches is crucial to protect against malware, viruses, and other cyber threats.

These updates often include patches for known vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit to gain access to your device and data. Locking your device when not in use, using strong passwords, and setting up two-factor authentication are also simple yet effective ways to secure your device and data.

Avoiding public and open WiFi networks is a good idea, as they can be a breeding ground for hackers. Connecting to these networks can increase the potential for hackers to access your accounts, so it's best to avoid them entirely.

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If you think you've been successfully phished, there are a few things you should do immediately. Write down as many details of the attack as you can recall, including any information like usernames, account numbers, or passwords you may have shared.

It's essential to change the passwords on all affected accounts and anywhere else that you might use the same password. Create unique passwords for each account, and consider enabling multifactor authentication for extra security.

If the attack affects your work or school accounts, notify the IT support folks right away. If you shared sensitive information about your credit cards or bank accounts, contact those companies to alert them to possible fraud.

If you've lost money or been the victim of identity theft, report it to local law enforcement as soon as possible. The details you've written down will be very helpful to them.

Beware of common tactics used by phishing scammers. They often try to instill fear or urgency by making up scenarios to urge you to act. Emails supposedly from loved ones or bosses should raise a red flag when they ask for money or request that you purchase gift cards.

Phishing scammers may also present a dire situation they need help with, often using urgent language. Be cautious of emails that try to get your personal information like phone numbers, passwords, and other sensitive data.

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Employee education and training is crucial to lower the possibility of a successful cyberattack. Every organization must have an email security solution.

Security awareness training is a must-have to reduce your organization's cyber risk. It increases the chance of keeping your sensitive data where it belongs – with you, not the cybercriminals.

Communicating email security requirements to employees is key to their understanding and engagement. Start by sending out an internal email or posting a notice on your intranet outlining your email security expectations.

Conducting phishing training courses at least once per year is a great way to ensure all employees are trained on email safety. These courses should be short, easy-to-complete training that help users identify common signs of phishing.

Phishing awareness training doesn't have to be tedious or boring. Many IT service providers can walk you through setting up these training courses according to your organization's unique needs.

Employee education and training can be fun and engaging. With Mimecast, Security Awareness Training is a great example of this, providing a fun and interactive way to train employees on email security threats and risks.

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Every organization needs to have an email security solution in place to protect against cyberattacks.

Relying on a single security measure is no longer sufficient, so it's essential to integrate multiple layers of protection, including a secure email gateway (SEG), firewalls, and antivirus software to monitor and block malicious threats.

Regular updates to your email server settings and anti-malware databases are crucial to address new vulnerabilities as they arise.

Mimecast provides SaaS email services for security, continuity, and archiving that help protect email more effectively and manage any email threat more efficiently.

To make email more secure, adopt and implement advanced security techniques that can help prevent users from falling prey to advanced threats like phishing, spear-phishing, and whaling.

Here are some critical email security tips to consider:

Update your security defenses constantly, as hackers never rest and are constantly devising new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and surprise security administrators.

Mimecast's Targeted Threat Protection is designed to defend against emerging threats, making it easier for organizations to stay ahead of cyber threats.

Security has to be easy for users, so it's essential to make security procedures straightforward and accessible to employees.