Email Security

There are many security threats to an email and these threats are caused due to weaker security settings, hacking attacks, phishing, unencrypted messages and virus/spyware attacks. Low security settings in your email program and web browsers may lead to hacking attacks, viruses, spyware, phishing and unauthorized access to your computer. Email vulnerabilities may lead to the loss of your personal and financial information. The insecure emails require special considerations, security settings and policies.  Email Protocols send the user’s data in the plain text and a person with some computer knowledge can hack your password and other account’s detail with the packet sniffer. 

Due to weaker security settings sometimes you receive too much spam emails, which waste your time and computer resources. You need to build up proper email security solutions to protect the emails of the employees of your organization. Your email security not only affect you but it also the compromise the security of the others, who sends the email in your email account. The common threats to an email include the following.

Common Threats

• Hacking Attacks
• Spamming
• Phishing
• Eavesdropping
• Viruses, Spyware and Malicious codes attached with the Emails.
• Forged Emails Addresses

To deal with the above mentioned email security risks you need to implement the following tips.

Email Security Tips

• Ensure that your email authentication process is encrypted.
• Use email monitoring program.  It will check the headers, attachments, source IP address and other necessary information before the email is delivered into your inbox.  This way you can get rid of the unsolicited mass (spam) emails.  Email monitoring program acts as a spam filter.
• Install and configure a firewall program on your system.
• Install and configure an up-to-dated antivirus and anti spyware program.
• Raise the security level of your browser to maximum.
• Use Email security software.  It will protect your emails from the known threats and control the outbound messages.  It also prevents the information leaks and internal e-mail policies.
• Digitally sign your emails.
• Use local POP3 or IMAP client accounts to retrieve your email and avoid to web based email services.
• Never open email attachment that is sent from an unknown or suspicious source.
• Don’t open phishing emails.  Phising is legitimate looking emails that appear to come from the biggest companies like banks, eBay, Microsoft, American Online, Paypal and the emails that claim that you have won the prizes and lottery.  All these types of emails are an attempt to steal your personal information.
• Try not to send your personal and financial information through the email like your bank account’s detail, credit card information, passwords and security number etc.
• In your web browser, add Safe websites to the trusted websites.
• Block pop-up Windows in your web browsers.
• Read your emails in the plain text.
• Never click on any web links, which you get from the unknown sources.
•  via web messengers

By implementing the above security tips and mechanisms, you can prevent the known email threats and you can avoid compromising the security of your emails and the security of other people.