You use your business email on a daily basis and trust that everything is working accordingly. But did you know you could also be putting your business at risk? There are many email scams and security problems that still exist, even if it seems like you are past the days of email phishing. There are many different ways someone can hack into your system and steal your confidential information, even with something as simple as opening up an attachment. Protect yourself and your business with the following email security tips.
Be Careful with Attachments
One of the most common ways that someone can hack your system is through the email attachments. Never, under any circumstances, open an attachment by a sender you do not know or trust. Clicking on the email itself is usually harmless, but once you click that attachment, you are putting yourself at risk. You should also not enable JavaScript when opening an email with an attachment, as well as not allowing an email attachment to launch on its own.
Before opening an attachment, consider whether or not you know the sender, if you have received an email from this person before, if you knew this email was coming and you already know what is included in the attachment, and look to see if your computer sends any alerts when attempting to open the attachment.
Have Virus Protection
Some email scams and risks occur just by opening an email, even if it looks like it is coming from a valid source and you did not open an attachment. The best way to protect yourself in these situations is by having adequate virus protection. You want to have anti-spyware programs installed on your computer that detect potential problems, as well as a good virus scanner. Your email program also has its own virus scanner, which should scan emails and attachments, but it is also good to have one on your computer.
Avoid Sending Confidential Information
Be careful what kind of sensitive and confidential information you send to others through email, even when it is being sent to someone you know. Never send your personal or banking information, including your social security number, credit card numbers, driver’s license number, or bank account numbers. If an email asks for confidential information, do not respond to it with the information they request.
Do Not Click on Links
Avoid clicking directly on links in an email unless you are 100 percent confident in their validity. If you are just looking at an article online, clicking a link is usually harmless. However, you should never click a link in an email that goes directly to a log-in page or a page where you enter confidential information. Instead, open a separate tab and type in the web address.
Reduce Spam
Spam in your inbox is another problem with email security, not to mention being a big burden and frustrating experience. Some email programs already have advanced measures for sending spam into a separate folder or deleting it automatically, but some spam messages might still get through. If you ever get a spam message, delete it immediately, or mark it as spam if you have that option. Do not open the email or any attachments, and never click links within the email. You can also avoid spam by not publicly posting your email address on an open forum or website.
Protect your business even further with a cyber liability insurance policy in the event that you encounter an email security problems.
