Email is one of the most important tools for running a successful business, but it can also put your company at risk if you don’t take its security seriously. If your email system is compromised, not only can your confidential information be misused, but your entire IT infrastructure can be taken over by malicious actors. And with the rise of social engineering, hacking, and identity theft, securing your business emails should be one of your top priorities.
Here are six essential tips that will help secure your organization’s email accounts.
1. Use secure passwords
Using strong and unique passwords for all business-related emails is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to protect your email system. While it may be easier to just use the same password for every account, this puts your company at risk of potential cyberattacks such as credential stuffing.
Put the extra effort into creating secure passwords; this goes a long way in safeguarding the privacy of your business’s confidential information while keeping your accounts and systems safe from threats.
2. Install antivirus, anti-malware, and spam protection software
Email attachments are a common way to deliver viruses and malware. Antivirus and anti-malware software can scan incoming emails and attachments, detect any malicious content, and prevent it from infecting the email system or spreading to other users.
Meanwhile, spam emails are not only annoying. Some are dangerous, as they can contain phishing scams, malware, or links to malicious websites. Spam protection software can flag unwanted emails and stop them from reaching users' inboxes.
3. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA)
MFA adds an extra layer of security to your emails. This is because apart from requiring a password, MFA also asks users to provide a second piece of information, such as a biometric detail or a code sent to a registered device, to access an account. Cybercriminals rarely have access to these additional factors, thus significantly decreasing the likelihood of them gaining access to your accounts.
4. Regularly back up your emails
Your email accounts often contain critical personal and professional information, so regularly backing them up is incredibly essential to prevent data loss and ensure business continuity. For instance, in the event of a hardware failure or a ransomware attack, having a backup of your emails allows you to rest easy knowing that important messages and the information they contain are safe and accessible.
It pays to follow the 3-2-1 backup strategy, which recommends having at least three copies of your data stored in different locations, in two different formats, and with one of those copies stored in an off-site location.
5. Invest in an encrypted email solution
Encrypted email solutions use algorithms to encode the content of messages, making emails unreadable to anyone who does not have the decryption key. This ensures that only the intended recipient can read the message, preventing unauthorized access to sensitive information such as financial data, client information, trade secrets, or confidential business strategies.
6. Train staff on how to handle confidential information sent via email
Employees should understand the risks associated with handling sensitive information via email, including the possibility of data interception and social engineering scams. Specifically, they should be trained on how to recognize and avoid phishing so they don’t fall for these schemes.
What’s more, employees should be aware of the company's policies and procedures for handling confidential information, including how to properly label emails containing sensitive data and how to report suspicious emails or security incidents.
Protecting your business email is paramount to keeping your organization secure. XBASE Technologies can help safeguard your emails by providing comprehensive services and solutions ranging from password management to secure hosting and encryption. We can also tailor our services to fit your unique business needs. Schedule an appointment with our IT experts today.