What are the 4 dangers of using email?
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E-mail is an important communication medium for software developers. Unfortunately, it is an inappropriate medium for many topics and
sensitive communications. For example, e-mail is inappropriate for most confrontational discussions. Tempers flair and feelings get hurt easily in e-mail debates. Worse, e-mail makes a public event out of the disagreement. Productivity and morale of a software project can quickly degenerate when other staff members get caught up in lengthy e-mail confrontations. Also known as E-mail Flaming, this mini-AntiPattern can cause a variety of negative outcomes, some of which are listed
here, followed by recommended preventive measures: E-mail is an inefficient mode of communication for complex topics. Due to the technology and other key characteristics of the medium, e-mail is subject to misinterpretation, because often large e-mail exchanges reduce the discussion to the lowest common denominator. Furthermore, e-mail
discussion groups send dozens of postings on all kinds of topics, including the trivial and nonessential. These lengthy discussions are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Use e-mail cautiously, as suggested. Avoid using e-mail for the following types of messages: confrontations, criticisms, sensitive information, politically incorrect topics, and legally actionable statements. Use other media if there is any doubt about the appropriateness of e-mail. Although
telephone conversations, fax transmissions, and face-to-face discussions are also vulnerable to disclosure, their potential for damage is much less imminent. By Cyril James With all the sensitive information related to your contracts, do you still risk beefing up the security of your business email? Businesses rely heavily on emails to communicate with people, but companies are lacking adequate security. According to Mimecast, 83% of IT security managers’ email is a primary source of the attack. The biggest reason so far seems that cybercriminals are not behind the company systems anymore. Instead, they are targeting the users of the company. Well, we aren’t saying that everyone who works in the organization must be aware of email security. But anyone who deals in the transfer of sensitive information must understand the vulnerabilities and recognize the significance of a secure email system. Thus, it is crucial to have security practices in place especially the practices that focus on email conduct. When you better understand the email conduct and the threats that surround it, you can set up policies and regulations to ensure the security of your business. In this blog post, we will throw light on various aspects of email security and the risks surrounding it. So, let’s start with an email system. What is an Email System?An email system is made of two crucial components called mail clients and mail servers. The mail client is from where the mail is formatted and sent via network infrastructure to a mail server. The mail client is used to compose, send, and store email messages. On the other hand, the mail server is the computer from where the messages are delivered, stored, and forwarded. So all the components of the mail server, mail client, and the infrastructure that connects the two must be protected. Many industry standards ensure interoperability amongst the mail clients and server solutions. They include SMTP, ESMTP, POP, IMAP that can help to format, process, transmit, deliver, and display email messages. Email security needs better planning and management of the email system and IT infrastructure. Continuous monitoring and management can help organizations to work on email security effectively. But, to ensure better security, you must know what it is and how it works. So, let’s understand what email security is all about. What is Email Security?Email security is related to different procedures and policies that protect your email account, content, and communication against any unauthorized access. This unauthorized access may lead to any loss or deletion of sensitive information. Using various techniques, one can save sensitive information in email communication and accounts against unauthorized access. Usually, email service providers have some email security measures to secure client’s accounts and information from hackers. Such measures include strong passwords, encrypted email messages, web application firewalls, spam filtering software, and access control mechanisms. Why Does Your Business Need Email Security? When it comes to the significance of email security for businesses many reasons will make you recognize the need for an email security system. Here are a few of them that will give you an idea of why you must invest in email security:
All these can tarnish the image of your organization. Once gone it’s difficult to regain the trust of your customers. But, before you ensure proper implementation of policies to prevent any attacks, you must know the common threats. Some of them are discussed in the section below, let’s have a look at each one of them. What are the Common Threats?One of the good ways to ensure the security of your company’s email security is to know the common threats. Here are a few of them: Social engineering and spoofingSocial engineering relies much on earning the user’s trust to steal the data, money, or other information. While spoofing is another way that involves creating false data that appears to be true and legitimate. SpamSpam is on the hit list as it is an old tactic. It involves various unwanted messages that compel you with their advertorials with catchy headlines like “must-see”. Around 60% of the world’s email traffic volume is spam. Phishing and Spear PhishingPhishing attacks can be called frauds and scams that involve fraudulent messages to steal your money and other valuable information. While spear phishing is a more targeted attack that involves great research by cybercriminals to make the messages or emails more legitimate. BECBEC stands for Business Email Compromise that is also called CEO fraud. The hacker tries to impersonate an employee, CEO, or director of the organization. The ultimate goal is to steal money, data, or distribute malware. The scammer conducts intensive research on the routine habits of the victim to trap him with a convincing email. Ransomware, Trojan, or MalwareMalware is device software that is distributed to cause damage. While ransomware and Trojans are other types of malicious software that block the files or the operating system of the device. Around 17 of the data breach cases involve malware and 27% ransomware. In such attacks, cybercriminals usually demand a ransom payment to restore files. Botnet and DDoSBotnet and DDoS are other types of attacks cybercriminals may attempt on your email system. A botnet is a group of infected devices and machines containing malware and is controlled by the hacker. They are used to carry out massive scams and phishing campaigns. While DDoS attacks are aimed to overload the systems. Best Practices to Ensure Email SecurityHere are a few fundamental security tips that you can use to ensure safety of your email system: 1. Using a secure passwordWeak passwords never protect your organization. Take a look at the phrases and passwords that your employees use. Make sure that they use passwords that are impossible to guess. The more complex the password will be, the more time it will take for a hacker to figure it out. Your password must have:
2. Two Tier AuthenticationAnother best way to ensure email security is to use two-tier authentication. It adds an extra layer of protection. If you can’t add two-tier authentication, make a quick DKIM check, or you can download specialized software or use a different cloud email provider. If the cybercriminal guesses to retrieve your password, two-tier authentication will still require a code to get your messages. 3. Keep a Track of Phishing EmailsMany hackers use phishing emails to steal what they need by tricking individuals into handling their crucial data. Here’s how the process works:
Make sure you keep track of all the phishing emails that come with such advertorials or links to specific sites. Once you know the main source, consider blocking it right away. 4. Avoid Opening Unexpected AttachmentsMany times businesses receive emails from unknown sources that contain particular attachments. You must avoid opening these unexpected attachments. Well, you cannot put every email into the trash that comes with an attachment. So, we would recommend you invest in some email threat protection systems. It will scan all emails, as well as implement advanced spam filters. If the program depicts an issue you can delete the message and block the sender. By doing this you can ensure better security of your email system. 5. Avoid Accessing Emails from Public WiFiNever use Public WiFi to access your emails; instead, use mobile internet. The reason is that it is easy for hackers to find you and steal all the information they require to launch an attack. Also, consider giving your employees internet dongles that they can use outside the office. This will ensure the security of your email system. Final WordFor us, AWARENESS is the crucial tool that you need to protect your emails. Everyone from top management to the bottom should be aware of the dos and don’ts of email security. They should be vigilant enough and must know the source from where the email has come and what all data is being shared. Also, consider using software including anti-spam and virus checking software that will safeguard the entire system in the first place. About the Author Cyril has a solid foundation in the Information Technology and Communication industry with over 13 years of experience. His expertise lies in Information Security, specialising in network, web and mobile applications, and cloud penetration testing across various industry domains like banking, insurance, energy, telecom, IT products and services, and others. He is well-versed in penetration testing methodologies including OWASP, OSSTMM and PTES. He has solid understanding of technical concepts of cloud computing, machine learning, and various programming languages. Cyril is a visionary and strategy-builder, has good communication skills, and is great with managing teams. He has founded and currently leads Secure Triad, a Penetration Testing Services Company, based in Sydney, Australia. Social Accounts:
What are 3 things you should avoid sending in an email?4 Things You Should NEVER Do When Sending Emails. Mistake #1: Giving Little Thought to Your Subject Line. Email subject lines are important. ... . Mistake #2: Not Adding a Human Touch. People like hearing from real people. ... . Mistake #3: Not Personalizing. ... . Mistake #4: Over-Sending.. What are the 3 things to be aware of while using email?Tips for email safety. Don't open emails from someone you don't know or trust. ... . Avoid sending any sensitive information over email. ... . Never open an attachment within an email from a company or person you don't know (or that you were not expecting). ... . Never reply to or click on links inside spam emails. ... . Use a spam filter.. |
