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Does Your Organization Possess the Email Security Necessary to Prevent a Breach?

Does Your Organization Possess the Email Security Necessary to Prevent a Breach?
October 15, 2020

Email Security Solutions For Businesses In Texas

Efforts to protect digital assets from hackers begin with email security. Given the wide-reaching cybersecurity investments organizations make each year, email security might seem like a minor concern. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Cybercriminals target company email at a greater rate than any other aspect of a network. Hackers are acutely aware that not enough companies provide ongoing cybersecurity awareness training to on-site and remote workers. In terms of penetrating a business system, unsuspecting employees are vulnerable to common and sophisticated email attacks. The following statistics support the position that email security remains job one.

  • Approximately 94 percent of all malware was delivered by email in 2019.
  • Phishing email attacks account for upwards of 90 percent of all data breaches.
  • Nearly two-thirds of known hacker groups use spear-phishing attacks.
  • About 30 percent of all phishing emails are opened by their intended targets.

Could one of your employees make the fatal mistake of opening the wrong email? And, how secure is your email?

Does Your Organization Possess the Email Security Necessary to Prevent a Breach?

Turn Your Email Users Into A Cybersecurity Defense

Email security does not necessarily require organizations to throw money at the issue. It calls for smartly educating employees and stakeholders who access your network. Digital scammers are likely to use trickery to breach a system. That often begins by delivering emails that prompt people to take an action. The Federal Trade Commission published the following warnings about types of email schemes that users need to know.

  • A phishing email message claims a problem exists that requires action.
  • Message claims an account problem and asks the user to log in.
  • The email asks to confirm personal information.
  • Scam email asks a user to register for a refund or reward.
  • The urgent message calls for immediate payment.
  • The email appears to be from a trusted source asking for information.

These and other targeted email attacks are designed to accomplish one of three things. Deliver malware to seize control of your network, breach the system to steal sensitive data, or use a company email for a nefarious purpose. Sometimes called business email compromise (BEC), online thieves can covertly use a legitimate account to scam customers, vendors, and professionals in your industry. Ongoing awareness training remains the best way to teach company email users about ongoing and imminent threats.

Company Policies & Automated Email Security Harden Defenses

Given that email remains a favorite vehicle for hackers, the necessity of implementing a robust cybersecurity policy cannot be understated. Fundamentals included in organization-wide security policies typically include using business email exclusively for professional use, changing passwords every 90 days, and undergoing cybersecurity training.

Although such best practices go a long way in deterring online thieves, automation minimizes human error. These are ways an expert can harden your email security defenses.

  • Complex Passwords: It may sound humorous, but people still use “password123” and other weak passwords. Sophisticated hackers employ automated tools to uncover commonly used passwords. This risk can be avoided by having a managed IT professional install a password generator.
  • Eliminate Public Wi-Fi Use: Enabling team members to use free, public Wi-Fi increases the chance a hacker can gain access to a company email account. Virtual private networks can shield remote workers from digital predators lurking in coffee shops, and libraries, among others.
  • Multi-Factor Authentication: Perhaps the greatest deterrent against hackers leveraging your email is multi-factor authentication (MFA). In its simplest form, a code is sent to a secondary device that must be entered before email or network access can continue. This is commonly called two-factor authentication or 2FA. More complex MFA strategies require the person both enter the code and take another step to approve access. Because hackers are unlikely to gain control of secondary devices, they are effectively blocked.

Although hackers operate under the impression that your business lacks the email security defenses to prevent a breach, it’s not difficult to prove them wrong. By implementing a comprehensive email security strategy that includes training and automation, you can stop would-be hackers in their tracks.

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