Email has become a key part of our daily lives, whether it’s for business communication, personal communication, or simply keeping up with the latest news and updates. However, the rise of email use comes with a rise in the number of email security threats that can compromise our personal and professional information.
Let’s explore the different types of email security threats and how to prevent them from turning into cyber attacks.
1. Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are one of the most common forms of email based attacks. They involve a cybercriminal sending a socially engineered email that looks like it’s from a legitimate source, such as a bank, government agency, or even a colleague. However, it’s actually a malicious email which usually contains a link or attachment that, when clicked on, will install malware on your device or direct you to a fake login page designed to steal your personal information.
How to Prevent Phishing Attacks:
- Employee Training: Educate yourself and your employees about phishing tactics and how to identify suspicious emails.
- Email Filtering: Implement robust email filtering solutions to block phishing emails before they reach your inbox.
- Strong Password Practices: Encourage users to create strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).
- Anti-Phishing Solutions: Implement email security solutions like IronTree’s Advanced Email Security that offers anti-phishing capabilities like sender reputation verification, text and metadata verification, and other verification checks and threat intelligence.
2. Malware
Malicious software, such as viruses, worms, and ransomware are a type of email threat that can be attached to emails and executed when opened. These threats can damage your systems, steal data, and disrupt your operations.
How To Prevent Malware:
- Antivirus Software: Deploy up-to-date antivirus software to detect and block malware.
- Email Sandboxing: Isolate suspicious attachments in a sandbox environment to analyse them without risking infection.
- Regular Patching: Keep your operating systems and applications patched with the latest security updates or implement an antivirus solution with patch management.
4. Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks target businesses by impersonating the email account of high-level executives or suppliers. Attackers attempt to trick employees into transferring funds or sharing sensitive information.
How to Prevent Business Email Compromise (BEC) Attacks:
- Strong Authentication: Implement multi-factor authentication to verify the identity of users before allowing access.
- Employee Verification: Establish procedures for verifying the authenticity of urgent requests, especially those involving financial transactions.
- Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and improve your defenses.
- Consider a BEC Insurance Policy: Explore insurance options to mitigate financial losses in case of a successful BEC attack.
4. Spam
Spam, or unsolicited bulk email messages, can overwhelm your inbox and consume valuable resources. It can also contain malicious links or attachments.
How to Prevent Spam Emails:
- Spam Filtering: Use advanced spam filtering solutions to identify and block unwanted emails.
- Email List Hygiene: Maintain clean email lists and avoid sharing your email address with untrusted sources.
- Report Spam: Encourage employees to report spam emails to your IT department.
5. Data Breaches
Email threats are a common cause of data breaches, especially when sensitive information is sent or stored in unsafe formats among businesses that don’t have proper security measures in place.
How to Prevent Data Breaches Via Email:
- Data Encryption: Secure sensitive information by encrypting it during transmission and storage to prevent unauthorised access.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Implement DLP solutions to monitor and prevent the unauthorised transfer of sensitive data.
- Regular Backups: Maintain regular backups of your email data to ensure recovery in case of a breach.
- Incident Response Plan: Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to address data breaches effectively.
Threats to email security present a considerable and constantly changing danger to both individuals and organisations. Given that email serves as a major communication tool in the modern digital environment, it frequently attracts cybercriminals aiming to take advantage of weaknesses for monetary profit, data theft, or other malicious objectives. Recognizing the different forms of email security threats is crucial for reducing risks and protecting confidential information.
