60% of businesses that fall victim to a cyber attack go out of business within 6 months. As alarming as that statistic may be, it’s just as alarming that 91% of all attacks begin with phishing. These two statistics combined are a stark reminder of why businesses email security is so important.
“Securing your data is securing the future of your business operations.” – Jeffrey S. King, President of AT-NET
Education is imperative, but it can be challenging to keep up with evolving email threats. 90% of people feel confident they could recognize a phishing attack, yet only 5% actually pass a phishing test. That disconnect is mainly due to phishing’s increasingly sophisticated tactics.
To help you protect your business, here are our top tips for business email security. We’ll show you what you need to watch out for and how you can prevent malicious links from affecting your employees.
The Biggest Email Security Risks for Businesses
| Risk | Description |
| Spear Phishing | Targeted phishing attacks aimed at specific individuals or organizations, using personalized information to increase credibility. |
| Whaling | A type of spear phishing targeting high-profile individuals like executives, using detailed knowledge about them. |
| Reply-Chain Phishing | Insertion of malicious emails into ongoing legitimate email threads to exploit trust. |
| Angler Phishing | Phishing attacks conducted via social media platforms, often pretending to be customer service representatives to deceive users. |
| Pharming | Redirecting users to a fraudulent website through email links that appear legitimate, often to steal login credentials. |
| Email Spoofing | Forged email headers to make messages appear from a known or legitimate sender. |
| Business Email Compromise (BEC) | Fraudulent emails appearing to be from a trusted source, often used to manipulate financial transactions. |
| Unverified Attachments | Malicious attachments disguised as legitimate documents with the goal of tricking recipients into opening them. |
| Social Engineering | Manipulation via email to deceive recipients into divulging confidential information. |
Expert Tips to Help Improve Your Business’ Email Security
Use Strong Passwords
Ensure all email accounts have strong, unique passwords with a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. If your employees use more than one, each email account should have a unique password. This practice reduces risks if one account is compromised. It’s also important to regularly update passwords to maintain high security standards.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Enhance account protection by requiring a second verification step, like a code sent to a phone. This additional layer of security helps prevent unauthorized access, even if passwords are compromised. Implement MFA across all business email accounts.
81% of Attacks Are Enacted Outside of Regular Business HoursThat’s why 24/7 threat protection is so important. |
Regularly Update Software
Keep all email-related software up-to-date to protect against known vulnerabilities. Outdated software can leave your business exposed to security risks. Schedule regular checks to ensure all systems are current.
Train Employees on Phishing
Educate employees regularly on identifying phishing attempts and suspicious emails. Awareness training reduces the risk of employees accidentally compromising your business through malicious links or attachments.
Implement Email Encryption
Encrypted emails for business operations add a critical layer of protection for sensitive data. Encryption is a way to ensure that only intended recipients can access the attached information. Here is a quick overview of some encryption methods you may use for your emails.
| Encryption Method | Ideal Use Case |
| TLS (Transport Layer Security) | General email communication |
| PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) | Highly sensitive information |
| S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) | Business-to-business communication |
Limit Access
Restrict email access to only essential personnel to minimize the risk of unauthorized access. Regularly review access permissions and adjust them based on current roles and responsibilities. This approach helps maintain tight control over who can access sensitive email information.
Monitor for Unusual Activity
Use monitoring tools to detect suspicious login attempts or email forwarding rules, which could indicate a potential account takeover. Immediate detection allows for quick responses to potential threats. You may also choose to outsource network monitoring services for this purpose.
Use Spam Filters
Deploy robust spam filters to prevent malicious emails from reaching employees’ inboxes. Effective spam filters reduce the likelihood of phishing attacks and other email-based threats. A few ways that you can implement spam filtering methods include the following.
- Configure email server settings to block known spam sources
- Set up keyword filters to catch common spam phrases
- Enable machine learning tools to automatically identify and filter spam
| Read Our Blog For More Business Cybersecurity Tips |
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Require the use of a VPN when accessing email on public Wi-Fi networks. A VPN encrypts internet traffic, which can help protect sensitive data from being intercepted by unauthorized parties. This extra security measure is essential for maintaining secure communications when outside the office.
Secure Mobile Email Access
35% of employees regularly check their business emails on a mobile device. Therefore, mobile security is an integral part of email security. Encourage employees to use secure email apps that offer built-in encryption and remote wipe capabilities. Also, ensure that strong passwords or biometrics are used on mobile devices to protect business communications.
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Enhance Your Business Email Protection With Professional Security Solutions
If you need help protecting your business email security, you can count on AT-NET for support. We provide 24/7 monitoring, proactive threat prevention, and expert incident response. Plus, we can help you empower your team with security awareness training.
Reach out to us today to tell us more about your needs.
