Many organisations around the world are depending on their in-built email security settings in Microsoft 365 or fixed configuration options instated by their email provider. The truth is that these settings will not stop a multitude of threats unleashed by today’s threat operators that your company could face.
In the following sections, we’ll run through some crucial questions you should ask regarding your current email security, and we’ll explore some of the potential risks you can face if it doesn’t come up to scratch.
Is the encryption you use strong enough?
Email encryption software can scramble the contents of your communications, making sure that only the sender and intended recipient can read them after using their decryption key. However, not all email encryption software is equal in strength. Select encryption that has three layers for premium protection levels that make it harder for cybercriminals to crack.
Is your email encryption software user-friendly?
While cutting-edge encryption can offer premium protection levels, its ease of use is also important. Overly complicated software can quickly lead to personnel using encryption incorrectly or, in some cases, avoiding using it at all. Both these unwanted circumstances can leave your company emails unguarded, and this should be avoided.
Although the encryption solution you use must be robust, select a system that is easy for staff members to adopt so that you can ensure it is always used and employed properly.
Are your email attachments also encrypted?
Not all secure email software will encrypt the attachments of your email, and this presents a serious risk for data security. In many instances, the most sensitive and confidential component of an email is the documents uploaded as attachments, like private company contracts regarding new deals and purchase orders representing significant investments. Attachments regularly contain a wealth of personally identifiable information (PII) on data subjects. Staff pay slips and sales invoices with supplier account details included are just two examples.
Ensure the encryption you use will protect not just the body of your emails, but any supporting documents you add as well.
Is your secure email option flexible?
To make sure your email security solution will always be used by your staff, it’s essential that it’s compatible with a wide range of equipment and different operating systems. In recent times, with many employees working remotely – and often on personal devices, using different operating systems – the ability to operate flexibly has never been more important for firms to remain resilient.
Make sure your solution can work equally well on smartphones, tablets and online browsers, and with operating systems supplied by the major tech firms like Samsung, Apple and Microsoft.
Is your email solution compliant?
As yourself how much control you can exercise over your company emails. Can your system recall an email after it’s been sent when it contains confidential data and was mistakenly issued to the wrong recipient? If a data regulator asked you for proof of an email’s deletion after it was sent, can you prove it?
Advanced, secure email solutions are created specifically to keep companies compliant with legislation like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), among others. Useful features like email expiry and recall offer you greater control over your communications and allow you to trace the journey from sender to recipient. Whether email exchanges are internal or external, you can alter their accessibility.
Does your email security offer peace of mind?
Being able to recall an email or delete it to satisfy data regulators can make life easier, but a digital sign feature can deliver Chief Information Officers true peace of mind. With all emails encrypted and inaccessible by unauthorised personnel, a digital signature can make sure that the identities of recipients and senders are verified to safeguard company information. Systems offering this level of security will also offer alerts to senders and recipients informing them of any tampering or attempts to alter content during transmission.
What are the risks of unsecure emails?
Using an ineffective secure email system can leave your company wide open to a wide range of threats. Phishing emails and Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams that bypass your security filters can lead to personal data leaks and financial fraud, or the deployment of harmful malware. Trojans can be installed that allow attackers to infiltrate your network, while ransomware payloads can encrypt your essential files and systems, putting you at risk of extortion.
Not all risks originate outside of your company. From employees’ poor cybersecurity practices to accidentally leaked data, a system that can’t protect against such problems is of little use.
Preventative measures are far simpler to put in place than trying to resolve the mess and expense when you make the headlines after being hacked. Data breaches can be devastating to companies of all sizes, so sure up your defences with a powerful, secure email solution. Otherwise, your firm may face short-term costs of fines from regulators and company downtime and long-term damage after it earns a reputation for being negligent with confidential information held on its client base.
Do you need to upgrade your email security?
If you’re currently looking for an enhanced secure email option to update your protection levels, you can count on Galaxkey. Our secure platform offers end-to-end encryption, making sure your communications remain entirely private and guaranteed with a seal of confidentiality. Powerful three-layer encryption protects all content in your emails, including any attached documents.
To ensure it’s always used correctly, our encryption solution is supremely simple to operate and features an easy-to-use drag and drop application. No passwords are ever stored on our state-of-the-art system, and users can recall emails or set time-outs that automatically delete messages as requested to keep compliant with data regulators.
Our system is CPA certified by the UK’s National Cyber Security (NCSC) and is fully compliant with the United States Government’s Advanced Encryption Standard. If you’re in charge of email security and looking for a safer system that provides you with complete peace of mind, contact us today and explore our secure solution with an online demonstration.
