Email Security Best Practices – Safety Tips

One of the most widely used methods of communication is email, especially in the corporate sector. Sadly, it is also one of the most vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Taking safety precautions and following email security best practices can only help you to prevent these email attacks.

So, if you are curious to know what they are, then stay with us until the end of this article.  

Why Email Security is Important?

There are so much misinformation and scare techniques around digital dangers that you might wonder if your company is actually at risk from them. Email threats unfortunately pose a very serious threat. 

91% of cyberattacks start with an email, especially a phishing email, which is a fraud email made to appear trustworthy. 91%! It is worthwhile to invest in email security to better defend against these assaults.

Your company can be safe from these online threats by implementing email security best practices. Even if you can’t altogether remove the danger of assaults, you can significantly lower the possibility that any email attacks against your business would be successful. 

Email Security Best Practices – Some Essential Tips 

Follow the below tips to keep your email safe from cyber attacks. If you implement these precautions in your daily life then you can feel safe. Let’s look at those. 

1. Use Long and Unique Passwords: Always try to create complex and long passwords for your Email accounts because it avoid fraudsters to access your account. Make sure it contains a combination of letters, digits, and symbols. 

2. Keep an Eye Out for Phishing Emails: Phishing is one of the most common methods for cybercriminals to steal your account information; they are inspired by a fun outdoor pastime. Similar to fishing, these emails will lure you in by asking you to “log in” to your account when in reality all you’re doing is giving them your email address, password, and sometimes other sensitive information. 

The majority of phishing emails claim to be from one of your favorite service providers, like PayPal or your bank. You’re certain to lose corporate email security if you’re not paying attention to the email address, tone of voice, and even the grammar of the email.

3. Back-Up Your Files Regularly: On a server or an external hard drive, you should frequently back up all of your files. This will ensure that you have a copy stored elsewhere as a backup. In case you ever lose important emails, you still have the data saved.

Another option is to employ a cloud-based system that regularly backs up any changes made to your information. Because hackers frequently target small firms, this is a crucial safety tip for everyone. 

4. Verify Links Before You Click on Them: Before clicking on any link in an email message, double-check whether it is legitimate or not. Even if the link appears to be coming from someone you know, don’t click on it if it looks suspicious. Ask them if they sent the message instead by calling or texting them.

To avoid bogus websites, you might alternatively input the website address directly into your browser.

It is preferable to prevent attachment types that are especially prone to malware or virus infection, such as.exe files. If a worker requests access to these files, it may grant on a case-by-case basis.

5. Keep Software and Anti-virus Programs Up-to-date: Always ensure your software and anti-virus are up-to-date because it is the best way to prevent such scams. 

6. Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Every time you can, use two-factor authentication (2FA). “Two-factor authentication” is a phrase you’ve undoubtedly heard before. It’s a great choice to use in conjunction with a strong password.

For instance, after entering your password to access your email, a verification code is delivered to your mobile device. Without the second piece of information, your account cannot be accessed. This prevents hackers out of your email, protecting the security of your data.

You may turn on 2FA for your accounts with services like Apple and Google. Every time you enter into a service account, you may ask to confirm your identity. It is one of the most prominent email security best practices of all. 

7. Use of Proxies: Proxy can help you to access websites. You can protect the privacy of their location information by utilizing a proxy. Without worrying that website cookies would follow your activity, you can do a study. Anonymous online browsing might also be advantageous to you. 

8. Use Encrypted Connections: Always try to use a secured connection because it will protect you from accessing your data by anyone. Anyone who intercepts data in transit, including hackers and other cybercriminals, can read it if it is not encrypted. 

A public Wi-Fi network that requires a password provides some degree of security from snoopers, but it is insufficient to secure your data. Use a virtual private network (VPN) instead, if you need to work on sensitive documents, notably personally identifiable information (PII), because: 

• A VPN ensures the security of the connection between the client device and the server. The users won’t read the content even if it is intercepted.
• When you send an email, it passes through multiple servers before getting to its intended recipient. For the receiver to be able to read it, it must be decrypted there.

9. Log out of Your Email Account: whenever you are finished with your work then always make a habit of logging out of your email account because if you don’t then fraudsters will get the chance you get into your account. 

 10. Deploy a Gateway Email Content Filter: Software programs known as gateway email content filters connect your mail servers and the Internet. These filters for email content seize inbound correspondence. They scan them for malware and other unusual substances that might be signs of an attack. Following that, the communication is sent to the proper location or, if necessary, quarantined for review.

By filtering incoming messages before they enter your company name you may increase email security in one of the most efficient ways possible. By doing this, you can recognize and stop spam communications and malicious software before they reach your users’ inboxes. This makes certain that all outgoing communications adhere to security requirements.

11. Train Your Employees: Educate your team on safe internet practices, including how to avoid phishing fraud. The more knowledgeable about email security your team is, the less likely it is that they will fall for a scammer’s tricks. They won’t click on a malicious link or open an infected attachment.

Every employee of your company must have the know the risks of email and how to prevent them. For instance, emails from senders or emails with unexpected attachments or subject lines that are cryptic or empty may be phishing scams. They ought to be aware that transmitting sensitive information over email is improper. Usernames and passwords, together with financial information, may be categorized as sensitive information.

Conclusion

Email security risks are ever-evolving and changing, sometimes more quickly than enterprises can keep up. Even yet, the battle is not yet over. To fight from these problems follow all the email security best practices. 

We will back with another informative article for you till then stay cyber safe.