Email: An Enterprise Threat in 2023? +5 Tips to Secure Emails

Is business email outdated? With new threats bypassing major legacy frameworks, and 91% of breaches resulting from email phishing, enterprises of all sizes and industries now look elsewhere to share confidential data.

‍Why are email apps becoming more vulnerable?

Most email security issues today stem from underdeveloped stacks created years before cyber criminals became rampant. And while threat actors have studied how to sneak past email security completely undetected, most businesses still rely on often-vulnerable applications that need frequent updates to stay secure.

‍Fix it yourself: The enterprise dilemma

Would you buy a new car if you knew you had to repair it after just a few weeks? No, so when considering the best apps for your business, the question remains; with potentially endless updates, are staff and enterprises responsible for gaps if one employee misses a single update notification?

Right now, yes, and until prominent apps develop stacks to help ensure zero gaps, companies must lock down endpoint security to ensure only approved apps are downloaded and updates are enforced.

But the problem is far more than remembering to update apps and passwords. As email platforms extend their systems with security updates, businesses must follow suit, forcing teams to break budgets to rapidly scale to accommodate expanding infrastructures.

‍Cybersecurity insurance spikes amongst user backlash

Complicating matters, insurance companies are wising up and not banking on the instability of employees updating every device and app. A fact that is pushing companies to double their premiums and might make cybersecurity almost uninsurable in the future.

Yet, as user security risks push big technology platforms to monitor emails with a scope, some security changes made by big tech companies have sparked severe backlashes toward user privacy.

But when staff keeps falling victim to new, realistic ploys:

• Email Phishing: Fake emails/messages aimed to breach your network
• Spear Phishing: Targeting specific employees by role
• Whale Phishing: False notifications allegedly from executives and supervisors
• Angler Phishing: Deceptive attacks executed through social media
• Smishing & Vishing: Telephone attacks pushing urgency (e.g., someone claiming your bank account is frozen)

IT teams and insurance companies need assurance that apps can help filter and catch these recognized risks while helping with more inconspicuous network threats. In the meantime, businesses must start evaluating internal security processes.

‍5 simple tips to increase email security

So, what should companies do to secure email data until outdated legacy systems can protect users? Recently, the National Institutes of Standards & Technology released this recommended business framework focusing on encryption and controlling logins—an effective resource, but one that small businesses or teams with remote employees using personal devices might find difficult.

Regardless of your business size or location, here are some quick tips for helping prevent unnecessary security gaps.   

1. Practice Security Awareness Training: 81% of successful hacking-related breaches used an outdated or weak password. Educate teams on how to identify the latest threats and remind staff to update passwords, apps, and devices regularly.  
2. Deploy multi-factor identification. Did you know multi-factor authentication is 99% effective? Help deter risks by having staff deploy this practical feature.
3. Change email default settings. Have staff switch on auto-updates, change systems to auto-scan for wire transfer attacks, and automatically check the validity/history of emails.
4. Encourage vendors to fix issues faster. Help IT find a vendor team member they can build a business partnership with to help uncover problems and streamline solutions.
5. Consult an expert about a cost-effective Security Operations Center (SOC). Free consultations from certified cybersecurity experts can be an eye-opening experience in discussing potential network gaps and cost-effective solutions.

‍The future of enterprise email

Most businesses communicate on multiple different platforms, but when it comes to emailing between companies and clients, email still takes precedence. And despite time-sensitive updates employees can easily miss, the debate of who is responsible for a breach remains. Either way, one thing is for sure; as legacy email systems reassess security processes to ensure users stay safe with minimal updates, teams must remain diligent to help filter what apps cannot.

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