Email continues to be one of the largest, if not the largest, cyber attack vectors. In fact, one source reports that 90% of cyberattacks are perpetrated by email. In a world where 94% of malware is installed via malicious email attachments, and a ransomware attack is carried out every 40 seconds, it’s never been more important to have a strong email security strategy. 

As the numbers suggest, email intrusion is a real and present threat. However, many firms continue to follow highly insecure email practices, putting their organisations at risk. All it takes is one incident or bad email to bring your operations to a halt. Even if you operate a small business, your inbox is still at risk – the number of attacks against firms with 250 or less employees doubled last year. 

The good news is, there are effective strategies available to secure your email, and by extension, your business. Here, we look at some of the core considerations for keeping your organisation’s email secure and your data safe.

Secure your devices & WiFi

At your office, campus, or retail location, it’s good practice to secure your WiFi access points and provide two distinct WiFi accounts – one for staff and one for guests. This will help reduce the number of unknown entities accessing your network. 

With today’s mobile workforce and IOT devices, it’s also crucial for IT organisations to manage their access, while also addressing evolving security threats. One solution is to adopt and implement a full suite of WiFi access point and WLAN controller products as part of a secure access solution, like Fortinet. 

Add an email security gateway

According to the recent 2019 Data Breach Investigation Report from Verizon, 94% of malware was delivered via email, and the top cybercriminal action leading to a breach was phishing. So, it’s no surprise that IT leaders must ensure their organisations leverage the latest security technologies to deal with an evolving set of email attacks and prevent employees from installing malicious attachments, following phishing links or falling prey to email fraud that could lead to significant financial and reputational damage. Fortunately, solutions like FortiMail offer advanced security capabilities, such as sandboxing and threat intelligence, to improve malicious content detection, as well as data loss prevention. 

Think beyond just password protection

Passwords alone won’t keep cybercriminals out of your network. Adding two-factor authentication can help prevent hackers from accessing your account, even if they’re able to crack your password. With two-factor authentication, a password is used along with a security token and authentication server to provide far better security. 

Provide security awareness and training

Your employees are often your last line of defence when it comes to email attacks. Arm your staff with the knowledge and training they need to keep email imposter attacks and phishing attempts at bay. Some email security solutions, such as Proofpoint, provide the ability to simulate real-world imposter email attacks, so you can track who is responding to the simulated attacks and train them accordingly. 

We hope this post helps you understand why email security should be a top priority for your organisation and a key component of a robust cybersecurity strategy. At Optec, we’re experts in all things email security and can walk you through the above tips and technologies and help you uncover other strategies to keep your inbox secure. 

Get in touch with us to discuss your email security plan or complete a free Email Security Assessment.

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