We send an astonishingly huge amount of email: over 205 billion emails per day. And the number is still growing.1 Email is a critical communication tool for businesses. It’s also a gateway for hackers, viruses, and other nasties. Here are 5 email security tips for keeping your email and your information secure.
1. Stay watchful and cautious
It’s easy for an unauthorized person to email you and pretend to be a vendor or business partner. Be cautious and double-check before responding to sensitive requests.
2. Understand junk and spam filters
Learn how to use your junk email folder and your organization’s spam solution. When you know how to use these tools, you can find legitimate emails faster and control unwanted emails better.
3. Watch for “shoulder surfing”
Be aware of who is around you and can read your screen when you are in public. Who’s seeing your confidential or sensitive information because they’re behind you in line?
4. Send sensitive information some other way
Convey sensitive information in ways other than email. You may be better off communicating confidential information in person, over the phone, via a secure website, or through an encrypted file-sharing service.
5. Log out when you leave
When you leave the office for the day or for your lunch break, log out of your email or your computer entirely. If you don’t, anyone could come by while you’re out and have free access to your email.
Don’t forget that a strong anti-spam email security solution is another important defense.
Sources
1The Radicati Group, Inc. Email Statistics Report 2015-2019.
