Email security has been a relatively major pain point for organizations across industries and sectors in the past few years, as this immensely popular communication medium tends to be an easy entry point for hackers and other threats. Unfortunately, the effort to combat these malicious forces has not been a winning battle for many, as evidenced by the growing frequency and diversity of firms that have been victimized by data breaches that originate in email accounts and systems.
The fact is that email will likely be the most common form of communication in business and government for years to come, as other types of channels have certainly sprouted up, but none have come with the same adoption rates. What's more, the types of devices that are being used to manage emails are expanding in volume and diversity, making security an even more complex and challenging matter for many in the public and private sectors.
However, this does not mean that decision-makers cannot make a big difference in their organizations' security performances, but rather that the right types of tools and techniques are needed to get the job done. In fact, there have been plenty of studies and guidance released in the past few years to help all types of firms get a handle on their email security without negatively impacting user experiences or productivity.
As is always the case, the best strategies for security, or IT management demands of any type for that matter, will be reliant upon the adequate support and control of people, processes and technology. Here are five steps leaders can take and tools they can use, regardless of which industry they compete within or the size of their organizations, to begin to strengthen their email security performances and mitigate threats in a more comprehensive and proactive fashion.
1. Encryption software
Email encryption is a critical tool in today's threat-filled landscape. This particular software will help to ensure that even when information is leaked through an errant send or other issue, it will be more difficult for malicious individuals to capitalize upon and gain possession of the data therein. Advanced email encryption tools will be highly seamless in several ways, meaning that employees will only need to click one button to protect the information being sent, maintaining productivity in the process.
Email encryption and two factor ID authentication is a core tool in the fight to protect email, but more is needed.
2. Secure cloud
Since email databases will need to be hosted on servers, companies might want to look into migrating these systems into secure cloud frameworks maintained and provided by trusted service providers. Secure cloud services can help to ensure that email data is being stored safely and encrypted at rest. Plus, IT departments are not strained by the demands of server maintenance, and HIPAA compliance statutes are being obliged in stride with minimal disruptions to standard operations.
3. Training
Although hacking and other types of threats have overtaken employee negligence and error in some areas of IT security, the lack of awareness is still a highly common issue that leads to data breaches in email communications. As such, businesses must consider instituting advanced training programs to ensure that their staff members fully understand the best practices of sending and managing emails in a secure fashion.
More awareness and education is one of the primary and most powerful weapons against data breaches across the IT equation, and should be a priority moving forward.
4. Testing
Because negligence and error have been so clearly linked to the increased threat of falling victim to phishing attacks, tests have begun to be developed and made available to gauge the aptitude of employees in the past few years. These tests will essentially be taken without the staff members ever knowing, sending out fraudulent but benign phishing-like emails that will clearly indicate how well employees understand the signs of an attack.
This also falls into the broader category of measurement, which should be a priority for all managers. Building an analysis process that accurately and efficiently illustrates the overall capabilities and weaknesses of the firm in the email security discussion can be a boon to performance over time.
5. Always adjust
Email security threats and best practices are constantly evolving, and this is why the best strategies will never remain as such for long. Organizations, and particularly healthcare providers, that do not maintain a certain level of agility in their strategic oversight of email security will tend to experience increasing risk levels as time goes on, and dropping the ball on market research and analysis can have the same negative impacts before long.
Keep an ear to the ground and work to maintain flexibility in the programs to deal with major changes on an as-needed basis. As always, working with a provider of email security services and solutions can go a long way toward boosting the firm's protection against data breaches in these mediums.
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