Data Loss Prevention, or DLP for short, is among the most powerful tools an enterprise can employ to protect both itself and the information it handles.
In many cases, the data companies hold on file or share is exceptionally sensitive or contains confidential details about clients, customers, vendors, and suppliers. With an obligation to make certain that this information is never disclosed or face the consequences of hefty fines that can amount to millions, having DLP protocols in place is of the utmost importance.
An area requiring considerable attention in terms of DLP is the use of email communications. Among the most common ways that companies correspond, email is sometimes used to send sensitive information. If secure solutions are not adopted to safeguard such missives, enterprises can put both themselves and those whose data they are sharing at serious risk.
Data loss via email can occur in many ways, from staff sending messages to the wrong address containing private information, to mailboxes infiltrated and ransacked by cybercriminals. A simple deletion that can’t be restored will also constitute data loss, as will staff sharing sensitive company data when they are a victim of a social engineering attack.
To avoid such incidents, the following are some points worth considering when you develop your company’s DLP protocols for email to ensure you are always operating securely:
Enforce encryption use
Staff must be directed to always encrypt emails, even if they are sitting in a drafts folder. If accounts are hacked, any data in emails can be exploited. Data encryption methods should always be user-friendly to make sure they are implemented correctly, but strong enough to act as a deterrent to hackers and other malicious operators. Ensure that any email attachments are also encrypted.
Educate employees
Run phishing tests regularly and train your staff to spot attacks. Keep drilling them and build a workforce that is aware of cyber threats.
Use authentication methods
For email accounts, adopt multifactor authentication processes and avoid storing passwords wherever possible. Verify receipt of emails with important attachments with digital document signing services.
At Galaxkey, we have developed a secure system designed to make enforcing your DLP initiatives easier than ever before. Providing enterprise staff a safe environment where they can email securely with simple-to-use solutions, our secure work platform allows them to operate from any device and any location as safely as if they were onsite.
Boasting robust encryption that can be actioned by drag and drop, staff can easily render sensitive content indecipherable to malicious operators. Full tracking allows your teams to know the entire journey of their correspondences and ensure that their contents are only ever viewed by their intended recipient, with cutting-edge verification measures in place. When documents are signed or edits are made, the sender will also be alerted, and that will also be the case when emails are received and read.
To test-drive our secure email options, get in contact today with our expert team and experience a demonstration of how our platform works online.
