If you're a business owner, you probably know by now that email security is a must-have security layer for protecting what you've built. After all, email is your identity, it's how you sign in to websites, pay bills, access your bank accounts, and communicate with your clients. It’s almost as important as your Social Security number given what services you sign up with using your email.
The point is, you don't want to risk your email account being compromised. But there are bad actors on the internet who want to snatch your credentials and use them to exploit you for all they can. We don't use scare tactics or try to spread fear. That's not how we operate. The truth is, this is happening everyday (see our posts of dark web reporting from last week).
These are some real numbers to digest:
10 best practices for keeping your email safe from a compromise
2. Create more secure passwords. You already know this, but it’s important to remind yourself. Simple passwords are not enough. You need to invest time in making (and remembering) passwords that are unique and hard to guess. They should have the following elements: A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, digits, symbols at least 8 characters long, and it is recommended to have a different password for every site. This way, you don’t risk losing multiple logins if a threat actor gets into one of your accounts. A solution like a cloud password manager can help you keep track of your passwords—just make sure you use a very tough (but easy to recall) password phrases for this so that the bad guys don’t get access to all your logins.
3. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). 2FA gives your account an extra layer of protection. This is easy to implement and provides a TON of security to your logins. But you need to know the password and have access to the second authentication method to log in (like your cell phone). It may seem annoying to log in this way every time, but it’s worth the extra security. Your 2FA method could be any of these one-time passcodes (OTP) or time-based one-time passwords (TOTP): Email, SMS, Voice API, soft tokens, Authenticator apps, and Push notifications
4. Be alert for phishing emails. Phishing emails are easier to spot when you’re expecting them. So be prepared for phishers to send you messages and don’t think they’ll all go to your spam folder. They won't. Phishers are getting better at making their emails look convincing, but here are some clues to look for: Odd or unknown email sender addresses, word choice and tone, spelling errors, weird requests, or sketchy links. phishers want you to open the email, click the link, and enter your account details. Once you do that, they have your username and password to get into an account or your email address.
5. Verify every link before you click. Check every link before you click it. Do you know the domain? And do you trust it? Remember that many senders use link shorteners and Urchin Tracking Module or UTM codes to better track email activity, which can sometimes make links look fishy. But if you’re not sure, don’t click the link. For instance, if an email says there’s a huge sale at your favorite store, but you don’t trust the email, go directly to the store’s website instead of clicking the tempting button, image, or link.
6. Be careful with attachments. Email attachments can have harmful malware. So always use anti-malware software (Protect Your Business Like a Pro: Advanced Cybersecurity) to scan the files in attachments before opening them—even if you trust the sender. Do your homework to make sure the file is safe. If you’re not completely sure, don’t open it.
7. Encrypt your emails. Email encryption safeguards your emails while they’re being sent and stored to prevent threat actors from reading the message. It lets you have more control over the emails you send, making sure only the people you want to see your messages can read them.
8. Stay away from public or open Wi-Fi networks. The bad guys can use open Wi-Fi networks to access information that goes through the network—and that includes usernames and passwords you use to access your email account. So when in doubt, tether your phone and use your mobile data or wait until you’re on a trusted and secure Wi-Fi network that requires a password before accessing your emails.
9. Flag emails as spam. Don’t just trash unwanted or phishing emails—alert your security team and flag them as spam in your inbox. By flagging these messages as spam, it’ll damage their deliverability rates and reduce the chances these messages get to your inbox (or anyone else’s inbox, for that matter) again. It also helps your inbox provider recognize messages you don’t want to get.
10. Educate your employees on email security best practices. Knowing these tips and best practices is a good first step, but you need more thorough protection to safeguard your business and colleagues. Make email security guidelines a regular part of your employees’ training. Then, review these best practices often to keep them fresh for everyone. This can save you BIG TIME in the future if an employee gets compromised and your internal network is breached.
Email security is vital for every organization that relies on email communication. By following the email security best practices outlined in this post, you can protect your email accounts and data from unauthorized access, loss, or compromise. These best practices include using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, avoiding phishing scams, encrypting your emails, and educating your employees. Remember, email security is not only a technical issue, but also a human one. It is just ONE of many security layers that professionals put in place to protect your business. By being vigilant and proactive, you can reduce the risk of email security breaches and keep your business running smoothly.
Ready to protect your business and your employees by deploying an enterprise grade email security and filtering solution? IT PROTECT can provide the IT support you need and the critical security your business must have. Reach out for a chat.
Cloud Matrix IT™ is a managed IT and technology consulting firm who specializes in providing proactive IT solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. We designed IT PROTECT specifically for the SMB. IT PROTECT is a comprehensive suite of solutions & processes that help your business save time, reduce costs, provide your staff IT support, and help you stay protected with our fully managed 24/7/365 SOC PLUS cybersecurity platform. Yes, even weekends and holidays.