Email continues to be one of the most significant malicious threats to organizations of all sizes. Attackers are constantly developing new methods to exploit email communication. Some of these include phishing, email attachment malware, and social engineering attacks.
To address these risks, it’s important to implement a strong email security strategy that adapts to emerging threats.
Essential email security tips for keeping your email safe
- Implement an automated email security solution
- Assess the need for and implement additional security measures such as email encryption and two- or multi-factor authentication
- Conduct regular employee email security awareness training sessions
- Create a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting suspect emails.
7 email security best practices every employee must know
Every organization must have an email security solution. However, there are some important best practices that every employee must know and follow. This way, they can help lower the possibility of a successful cyberattack.
1. Security Awareness Training
Training your employees to be aware of email security threats and risks reduces your organization’s cyber risk. It also increases the chance of keeping your sensitive data where it belongs – with you, not the cybercriminals. With Mimecast, Security Awareness Training is not only efficient, it’s also fun and engaging.
2. Strengthen passwords
Using strong, unique passwords for every account helps protect against unauthorized access. Encourage employees to create memorable passphrases instead of complex, hard-to-remember passwords.
Additionally, they should avoid password reuse to reduce the risk if one account is compromised. Regularly updating passwords and using password managers can help maintain email security practices.
3. Two-factor Authentication (2FA) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
2FA or MFA adds an extra layer of protection to boost your cybersecurity defenses. They ensure that malicious actors won’t get through, even if they manage to steal a user’s password.
This way, there will always be a second step that needs to be completed before a user can log into their email account. This could be, for example, a one-time password sent via text message or a unique code generated in an authentication application. Using a strong password is great, having 2FA or MFA in place is better.
4. Know the signs of a phishing attempt
Occasionally, we all get them – those predatory emails that pop up in our inbox alongside the legit ones. Some of them are so sophisticated, it’s hard to tell that they are phishing emails. Knowing what signs to look for is an essential part of keeping your organization safe from a phishing attack.
5. Keep business and private email separate
Keeping business and private email separate can help protect both your business and private information. Data breaches can happen to anyone at any given time. They can also lead to serious implications for businesses.
If your personal email is compromised in a data breach, attackers have a greater chance of gaining access to sensitive information. They can then use it to access your business email or network. By keeping business and private email separate, you mitigate the risk of a data breach spreading across both areas.
6. Encrypt emails
Email often contains sensitive or confidential information. When email encryption is employed, it provides the essential security needed to protect that information. Sending encrypted emails with Mimecast is as easy as selecting a checkbox. Learn more about email encryption and how to send encrypted email with Mimecast.
7. Log out of shared devices
One of the simplest yet most overlooked email security practices is logging out of accounts when using shared or public devices. Failing to do so leaves the door open for unauthorized access. Make it a habit to log out of your email system every time you finish a session, especially when using devices that are not personally owned.
Email security tips from a leading security provider
Is email secure? Not unless you adopt and implement advanced security techniques. When you're looking for ways to make email more secure, there are a few critical email security tips that can help.
The best email security tips today are designed to prevent users from falling prey to advanced threats like phishing, spear-phishing, and whaling. These attacks appear to be from trusted sources and try to trick users into:
- revealing sensitive information
- wiring funds to fraudulent accounts
- taking other actions that may harm the organization
Most IT teams are constantly sharing email security tips with employees in the hope that they will spot, delete, and report emails containing these types of threats.
But clearly, email security tips aren't enough to keep your organization safe. Even after training to spot attacks, 23% of phishing or spear-phishing emails are still opened by users. It's no wonder that major security breaches among Fortune 1000 companies continue to fill the headlines month after month.
That's why savvy organizations protect their data and their users by augmenting email security tips with powerful email security solutions from Mimecast.
Email security tools from Mimecast
Relying on a single security measure is no longer sufficient. Organizations should integrate multiple layers of protection to safeguard their email system. This includes using 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 also essential to address new vulnerabilities as they arise. Combining different security technologies significantly reduces the chances of unauthorized access.
Mimecast provides SaaS email services for security, continuity, and archiving that help protect email more effectively and manage any email threat more efficiently.
Mimecast email security services provide tools to stop malware, spam, and advanced threats. Mimecast also provides solutions for:
- preventing data leaks
- managing email stationery and disclaimers
- sending protected messages and large file attachments
Additionally, Mimecast provides automated tools to manage email archives. Users can also experience email continuity solutions that provide continuous access to email and attachments, even during outages and disasters.
Mimecast's top email security tips and solutions
As a leading provider of email security services, Mimecast is supported by a world-class team of security experts who offer these email security tips for protecting your organization more successfully.
Update your security defenses constantly. Hackers never rest. They're constantly devising new ways to exploit vulnerabilities and to surprise security administrators. That's why your email security defenses must evolve right along with them. This is why Mimecast's Targeted Threat Protection is designed to defend against emerging threats.
Security has to be easy for users. If your security procedures involve complicated steps or require special knowledge, your employees are far less likely to adopt and use them regularly. That's why Mimecast Secure Messaging makes sending encrypted messages as easy as sending a regular email. It's also why Mimecast Large File Send lets users send attachments up to 2 GB directly from their mailbox application.
Outbound email can be as damaging as inbound attacks. Data leaks – both inadvertent and malicious – can be as costly as a whaling attack or CEO fraud. That's why Mimecast's data leakage protection solution provides automated filters to spot and prevent potential leaks.
Learn more about email security tips from Mimecast, and about solutions for Outlook secure email and retrieving deleted emails.
