What is email security?

Email security is the steps taken to protect email accounts. It’s critical to prevent hackers from stealing your data. Companies can secure their emails with some measures. These can include training employees to identify threats like spam emails.

Why is email security important?

Emails are a critical opportunity for criminals to steal data from your company’s systems. Such a  leak can be highly damaging to your business, especially if it holds sensitive client data. For example, creating an online shop will give you people’s bank information. You must protect it.

Types of email threats

Hackers continue to find new ways to use malicious emails to infiltrate your company’s systems. They primarily use spam emails. The procedure is simple. They often send a fake message promising something that victims will find irresistible. Once they click the link, they download malware.

Malware is short for “malicious software” and can take many forms. All are harmful but in different ways. Read about the most common email threats below:

1. Virus

A virus damages an application in your computer and can quickly infect other software you have installed. The result of a virus is your computer running less efficiently. The situation can escalate to the machine being inoperable. You can fight it with a virus filter.

2. Spyware

Spyware is software that installs itself on your computer without your consent. It then starts recording everything you do and transmits that information to the hacker, who can use it to violate your privacy.

3. Trojans

A trojan is software that seems legitimate. You have no reasons to suspect it’s malicious, but it’s releasing viruses on your computer, which can damage it and steal any private information stored you have stored.

4. Ransomware

It takes your computer “hostage,” as the name implies. This malware type locks your device, and you can only use it again after paying ransom to the hacker. Should you pay? No. Format your machine instead. There’s no guarantee that the hacker will honour his word.

Email security best practices

Email and website security go far beyond installing a powerful antivirus and hoping for the best. You can take many measures to ensure a safe experience with your webmail. Read some of them below:

1. Don’t trust everyone

Check who sent a message. If you don’t recognize its sender, don’t open it. If you open it for some reason, don’t click any links or download attachments. Leave immediately.

2. Look for HTTPS

HTTPS is a security protocol that helps secure your data. Not all websites use it. To check if the page you’re on uses it, check if it shows “https://” before its link. Some browsers will also display a padlock right next to the URL to signal that the page is secure. Don’t see it? Leave.

3. Train your people

You may have several employees and computers in your business. So, email security is useless if you’re the only one using it. To protect your data, educate your employees on the topic. Be sure to explain the severe consequences of malware.

The benefits of email security

Investing in email security has many benefits, including preventing data loss. But there are other upsides that you can’t ignore. Read some examples:

1. Improves your reputation

You don’t want people to associate your business with a data leak. Such a reputation can drive customers away as they will be less willing to trust you with their sensitive data, like bank and personal details.

2. More productivity

Viruses can damage a computer, slowing it down. Ransomware locks it completely. Either way, the result is reduced productivity, as your team won’t be able to work as efficiently as possible. You’ll also need to waste time figuring out how to solve the crisis.

3. Prevents legal action

There are many data protection laws worldwide. People have a right to data privacy. By storing their data, you’re responsible for handling it and ensuring it won’t leak. You’re legally accountable for hackers entering your system and accessing such information.