Email is one of the most important tools your business has. As your main communications hub, it’s often responsible for all contact with staff, clients, and stakeholders. Imagine how much sensitive data is being transferred during those conversations – and what the consequences could be if it’s stolen.
For most businesses, the impact of such a breach would be severe and long-lasting. There is only one solution: strong security measures designed to repel threats and protect this essential part of your business.
But what are the best email security practices to avoid cyber-attacks?
Do I Really Have to Secure My Emails?
Your email serves as a critical gateway to some of your most essential business data – and this makes it an extremely appealing target for threat actors. Anyone who gains unauthorised access to company inboxes is suddenly privy to private communications that could include future plans, sensitive files, structural changes within the business, chains of command, and far more. In the worst-case scenario, staff may have inappropriately shared passwords over email, granting attackers access to other accounts. The central position of email within most companies means that threat actors often target it above all else. To them, it is a high-reward, low-risk strategy.
Compounding the problem is the consistent tendency of business owners to underestimate this danger. Email security is often barely considered, beyond a password and perhaps some multi-factor authentication (MFA). This is nowhere near enough to protect you from modern threats. Attackers are developing new techniques every day that bypass your basic security measures or disarm them in seconds, requiring a much more robust approach. Without the proper email security best practices, the truth is that your business is completely vulnerable.
The Threats Hiding in Your Inbox
To truly understand why you need stronger email security best practices, you must first understand the security risks your business faces. Here are some common methods attackers use to access inboxes:
Phishing Attacks
One of the most prevalent threats out there, a phishing scam is a type of social engineering attack. They can take a variety of forms, including phone calls (vishing) and SMS (smishing), but email is a very common target.
During this attack, a threat actor will email employees pretending to be a legitimate sender such as a manager, CEO, third-party vendor, or other stakeholder. They typically attempt to choose an entity with some degree of authority over the victim, as this makes them more likely to comply. They will then attempt to convince the recipient to click a link, download a file, or hand over sensitive information (for instance, login credentials). Here are some examples of how a phishing attack can look:
- The “IT team” explains that there’s a problem with your device or account, and they need your password to fix it.
- Your “boss” contacts you asking for an emergency file or funds transfer, due to extenuating circumstances.
- A “partner” has updated their terms of service, and would like you to view them in the attached PDF.
Spear Phishing
This is a targeted phishing attack aimed at specific individuals or organisations. Regular scams are often vague and don’t contain personal details. This is because threat actors are sending them to many people at once, and want to minimise both the time and risk involved. Spear phishing, in contrast, is far more targeted. Threat actors using this method want to breach your business specifically, and will personalise their attacks accordingly. They are also often more persistent – where a normal attacker would back off and try their luck elsewhere, a spear phisher is more determined and will press the issue.
Business Email Compromise (BEC)
BEC is a scam where attackers impersonate company executives or partners, to authorise fraudulent transactions or information transfers. These are usually highly pre-meditated – threat actors will extensively research their victims ahead of time, fabricate a convincing replica of someone you report to, and may even create false webpages or documents to support their story. These attackers usually think bigger than their lower-level counterparts, asking for large fund transfers or access to extremely sensitive information.
Password Theft
Password theft can either be the end result of the other attacks listed here, or occur independently. There are many ways a threat actor can steal the password to your email account, including brute force tactics and malware. Once they’re in, they can send, read, and receive emails as if they were you. This allows them to either access the information they need directly, or pose as you to launch phishing attacks against other employees. They may even be able to access your other accounts, if you’ve set up MFA that uses your email.
Spotting an Email Attack
Email attacks, and particularly social engineering scams that manipulate human psychology, are becoming increasingly convincing. AI technologies allow threat actors to craft almost perfect impersonations of legitimate entities, making them almost impossible to spot at first glance. However, there are still a few warning signs that can help you detect them:
- A sense of urgency
- Attempts to discourage you from verifying information
- A “call to action” asking for information, funds, or other action from the victim
- Incorrect email or web addresses
- Unexpected links or attachments
If any of these signs are noticed in an email, you should treat it as a potential attack and proceed with caution.
The Importance of Staff Training
Many email-based attacks are designed to take advantage of the weakest link in your business: the human element. Regular training reinforces email security best practices for employees, and reduces the likelihood of a successful attack. This is one of the most important things you can do to protect your business.
Employees should know how to:
- Recognise and Avoid Threats: Understand the signs of phishing, malware, and other email-based attacks.
- Follow Security Protocols: Adhere to company policies regarding email usage and data protection.
- Respond Appropriately to Incidents: Know the steps to take when they suspect a security breach.
Comprehensive training sessions should take place at least once a year – if resources allow, twice or even quarterly might be better. Sprinkle in small refresher courses throughout the year to reinforce these larger lessons and provide necessary updates.
More Best Practices for Email Security
Email security best practices for employees and leadership are crucial to prevent attacks. Here are some of the most important:
Email Attachment Security Best Practices
- Exercise Caution with Attachments: Attachments should be treated with caution, particularly if they’re unexpected. Don’t open them until you know what they are. Scan them for malware, or contact the sender via other means to confirm the attachment’s purpose. If you are unable to verify, deletion is always the safer option.
- Verify Everything: Take nothing at face value. Follow up all email communications using another channel, and double-check contact details and web addresses. If the sender tries to stop you, or insists that you act immediately, take this as a major red flag. Legitimate senders should have no issue with you checking that you have the right information.
- Update Software: Many attachments contain malware designed to exploit a known vulnerability within your operating system or software. Keeping these programs up-to-date with the latest patches will prevent them from doing so, mitigating the risk if someone does accidentally click on an attachment.
- Save and Scan: When opening an unknown attachment, always save it to an external drive first (preferably one with nothing else on it), and then scan it for potential threats using your antivirus software.
- Turn Off Automatic Downloads: Some email providers allow you to automatically download email attachments. This can save time but is also extremely dangerous. Turn this functionality off to prevent attackers from installing malware before you even realise there’s a threat.
Email Gateway Security Best Practices
- Choose the Right Gateway: Not all email gateways offer the same protection. Free products, for example, may not be updated as often and thus may contain more vulnerabilities. Do your research and choose the most secure option possible.
- Configure Correctly: Check that your gateway is configured properly to suit your security needs. Many businesses simply install security software and assume it will handle everything for them – don’t make this mistake. Five minutes spent in the settings now might save your company later.
- Update Often: Proactively check for new updates, and install them promptly. If possible, automate the update process entirely. Like all software, these patches often contain important security features.
- Review Regularly: As threats evolve and your business grows, old email gateways may no longer be enough. Evaluate your current setup regularly to ensure it’s still sufficient for your needs. If it isn’t, consider switching.
Phishing Scam Prevention Tactics
- Test Your Staff: Conduct simulated phishing attacks to test your employees’ response. If they fall for the “scam”, use this as a learning opportunity and consider refining their security awareness training.
- Enable MFA: While it isn’t enough to stop attacks on its own, MFA is still a crucial element of your defences. If login credentials are successfully stolen in a phishing scam, this simple measure will prevent threat actors from gaining access to sensitive accounts. It also mitigates the risk associated with your email itself being breached.
- Develop a Security-First Culture: Encourage strong security practices, and reward staff who get it right. Create an environment where employees feel comfortable reporting potential email attacks, even if they may have contributed to the problem. Remember that staff who fear punishment are less likely to comply, ultimately endangering your business.
What to Do When You’ve Already Been Attacked
In some cases, you may not notice an email attack until it’s too late. It’s important to remember that this may not be anyone’s fault – even the best defences can be defeated from time to time. Take these steps if you suspect your business has been compromised:
- Notify Relevant Parties: Inform your IT team, external security provider, staff, and any other critical personnel about the attack.
- Disconnect: Immediately disconnect the affected device from all networks. If malware has been installed, this may prevent it from spreading further across your company.
- Lock Down Email Accounts: If you have reason to believe any email accounts have been compromised, change the login credentials and log out all other sessions. If necessary, contact support. Do not use these accounts for anything important until you can be sure they’re safe.
- Scan for Threats: Run an antivirus and anti-malware scan on all affected devices.
- Report if Applicable: If a significant breach occurred that falls under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, report it to the relevant authorities. If you believe individuals may have been affected by the attack, notify them of the nature and extent of the breach as well as next steps.
- Perform a Post-Mortem: Once the threat has been removed, analyse what went wrong and how it can be prevented in the future. If necessary, update your incident response plan.
- Provide Additional Training: Use the experience as a real-world example for cyber awareness training. Explain what happened, how it could have been prevented, and what it demonstrates about email security.
Office 365 Email Security Best Practices
If your business uses Office 365, then you’re in luck. Microsoft is known for their robust cyber security features, which can significantly improve your ability to prevent and respond to attacks. Use these Office 365 email security best practices:
- Look for Trusted Senders: Outlook uses a “trusted sender” flag to indicate that an email is likely secure. This may help you differentiate between a legitimate email and a convincing scam – just look for the “trusted sender” icon.
- Use Microsoft’s Access Controls: Take advantage of Microsoft’s built-in access controls to limit the damage caused by a compromised account.
- Implement Secure Configurations: Many of 365’s security features must be configured to work properly. Don’t set and forget – remember to actually investigate your settings and enable those security measures.
What Else Can I Do to Protect My Business from Email Attacks?
Email security only represents one step in a long journey. To improve the effectiveness of these measures, support them with additional cyber security best practices:
- AI Threat Detection: Just as attackers leverage modern technology, you can do the same. AI-powered threat detection tools can spot and resolve potential security risks, including those found in your inbox, before they have the opportunity to harm your business.
- Zero Trust Architecture: Zero Trust operates on the principle that any and all access attempts could be a threat. If you require verification every single time, attacks are less likely to get through your defences.
- Threat Intelligence: Stay informed on the latest cyber threats, and what measures are being used to stop them. Pass this information on to your staff.
- Regular Audits: Evaluate your security posture at regular intervals to check that it’s sufficient for your needs.
- Incident Response Plan: Develop a plan outlining how your team will respond during an active threat. Include information on communication channels, mitigation efforts, data backup and recovery, and post-mortems.
- Use a Cyber Security Framework: Frameworks such as NIST provide advice on email security best practices. If you’re unsure how to improve your defences, try adopting one of these.
- Make Use of Security Tools: There are various digital security tools available that can help protect your business. Explore your options, as these may be invaluable to you.
Is There Anyone Who Can Help Secure My Email?
If your business is smaller or lacks an internal IT team, this may all seem too complicated. The good news is that you don’t have to handle security on your own. If you need help, consider outsourcing to a managed service provider (MSP). These experts offer:
- Specialised Knowledge: Access to expertise that may not be available in-house.
- Advanced Tools: Cutting-edge security technologies for a more comprehensive defence.
- 24/7 Monitoring and Support: Continuous oversight to detect and respond to threats quickly.
If you choose this route, pick an MSP who specialises in your industry and prioritises security. They should communicate quickly and clearly, provide a transparent pricing structure, and take the time to understand your business’ needs.
Commit to Stronger Email Security
Email security is an ongoing commitment that requires time, effort, and experience. It is not a one-time process – as threats continue to evolve with modern technology, so too must your defensive strategies. Fortunately, this isn’t as difficult as you might think. Combining best practices for email security at your organisation with the right tools – and a dose of common sense – can take you a long way in preventing cyber-attacks.
Is your cyber security knowledge a little rusty? National IT is here to help prepare you for modern threats. Read our ultimate guide to learn how you can defend yourself.
