Email security is vital for communication across an organization, with very sensitive messages being sent every second; you need to know some easy precautionary measures to keep your mailbox protected from spam, viruses malware, and ransom ware. Hackers are always working to get you when you least expect with that, harmless email that is prompting you to click on it and boom! You are hacked, it doesn’t end there, a stream of threats and blackmails that follow are unbearable and really annoying. To keep this at bay you should always ensure that your mailbox is secure by making this five simple security measures a habit.
- Email spam can block your inbox and servers– A spam is an unwanted email sent in large quantities. It mainly consists of ads trying to sell certain products or services. Although they might seem harmless at first, spam is far from risk-free.
Solution- Spam can be dealt with through creating safe lists, or choosing between automatic and manual filtering. A User can avoid overloading their inboxes with unwelcome messages. Email clients and web-mail providers have filtering options, which enable users to select a level of protection. Also, permanently delete all suspected junk email instead of moving it to the Junk folder.
- Protect yourself from a malware infection– Email is the most common entry point for malware. It is estimated that 2-4% of all emails contain some type of malware. Email attachments are one of the oldest ways to spread malware. The content of the message encourages users to download a malicious file and launch it. Often there’s a link to a malicious site in the body of the message, which thanks to drive-by downloads automatically installs the malware just by clicking a link.
Solution– Installation of anti-virus/malware software and keep it up to date. Regularly update your operating system and run scheduled virus scans. Finally, block all links and attachments of suspicious emails.
- Phishing attacks through email– Phishing is the act of tricking somebody to voluntarily reveal his or her personal information. Those email messages are created to steal money from users by posing as a legitimate company.
Solution- Get informed and understands how scams and phishing attacks work. Learn to identify common phishing attacks and make sure to disable links in phishing emails. Keep your information secure and never enter sensitive data following a suspicious link in an email.
