In recent years, cybercriminals have become increasingly sophisticated in their attacks—and they don’t discriminate when it comes to choosing the companies they target. Even the largest and most well-protected organizations can be compromised if they’re not vigilant about protecting their email systems.
That’s why it’s so important for small businesses to be aware of the potential email security threats they face and to take steps to protect themselves. Cyber attacks were shown to be executed through email 94% of the time. SMBs often don’t have the same level of security resources and personnel that large organizations do.
Damages from cybercrime across the world were projected to reach an annual cost of $6 trillion by 2021. But don’t worry! By understanding just a few email security tips, your small businesses can be protected.
6 Email Security Tips to Protect Your SMB
Email cyber attacks are becoming harder to detect and often go undetected for long periods of time. This is because cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated in their attacks, and they are using more sophisticated methods to cover their tracks.
In addition, many organizations don’t have the resources to properly protect their email systems, making it difficult to detect and prevent attacks. Here are six email security tips to consider to ensure your company is well-protected.
1. Have an Incident Response Plan in Place
An incident response plan is a critical part of protecting your company from email security threats. The plan should include procedures for detecting, responding to, and investigating email security incidents. Your company should have a designated team of people who are responsible for carrying out the plan, and the team should be well-trained in how to respond to incidents before they happen.
2. Security Awareness Training for All Employees
Security awareness training should include information on the most common types of attacks and how to protect yourself from them. It should also include information on phishing scams and how to spot them.
All employees should be required to complete the training and it should be updated regularly, as the threats continually change and become more sophisticated. Retaining constant vigilance over your systems will keep them protected from harmful threats.
Learn more about effective security awareness training in Axiom’s video training here.
3. Mobile Device Management
Mobile device management (MDM) is a term used in the cybersecurity world to describe the process of managing and protecting mobile devices used in an organization.
MDM can include things like installing security software on devices, setting up passcodes or other authentication measures, and remotely wiping or locking devices if they are lost or stolen. These are important tools that can keep your devices protected and should be applied by every company.
4. Enforce Email Security Protocols
Email security protocols are a set of rules or guidelines that help to protect an organization’s email system from attacks. These protocols can include things like specifying the types of attachments that are allowed, setting up firewalls and filters, and requiring password protection for email accounts.
By enforcing email security protocols, your company can help to protect itself from a variety of email-based attacks.
5. Have a Password Policy in Place
A password policy specifies the type of passwords that are allowed, how often they must be changed, and how they should be stored. These policies can protect your employees and their data from cyber attacks. By requiring strong passwords that are changed regularly, you can make it more difficult for attackers to gain access to your systems.
6. Enforce MFA
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that requires more than one type of authentication to verify a user’s identity. For example, MFA might require a user to provide a password and then also type in a code that is sent to their phone.
MFA is an important security measure because it helps to ensure that even if a password is compromised, the attacker will not be able to access the account without also having possession of the second factor.
By following these email security tips, your employees will be able to proactively defend sensitive information stored within your business. Staying ahead of cybercriminals’ tactics ensures your company’s protection from cyber attacks.
Keep Your Company’s Email System Safe
As email systems can often be targeted by cyber criminals, implementing proper security measures can prevent cyber attacks from damaging or compromising any sensitive data.
To learn more about email security, check out our training videos today!
Contact Axiom today for a security risk assessment to protect your company and ensure its productivity!