The Best Email Security Practices Businesses Should Follow in 2022

Email security is more important than ever in today’s digital age. Research shows that over 90 percent of cyberattacks start with a phishing email. Most organizations consider themselves infallible from phishing attacks, but the reality is that phishing emails are incredibly effective. It’s easier for cybercriminals to pose as IT department personnel and convince team members to hand over their personal information, like log-in credentials, than exploit a vulnerability within your company’s systems.

It’s no secret that significant business correspondence still happens over email. While informal communication channels might have become popular, the reality is that email remains the most essential and common channel for employees to communicate formally.

Naturally, you’ll want to ensure you and your employees use the best email security practices to keep sensitive information safe from cybercriminals. We’ve prepared a list of the best email security practices to protect your organization from phishing and other email attacks in 2022.

The Best Email Security Practices to Follow in 2022

Here are the best email security practices to follow in 2022. They include:

Use a Strong Email Password

The suggestion that using a strong email password will improve your email security might seem straight from the 1990s, but it still holds today. An Avast survey shows that 83 percent of Americans use weak passwords and reuse passwords to protect multiple accounts. Most would expect enterprise users to have stronger password security for their emails, but that’s not true either. A study published in the HIPAA Journal shows that one in five enterprise users have set weak passwords that don’t meet standards or have been used elsewhere.

Using a strong password can make it more challenging for cybercriminals to access sensitive information in your email. It might not prevent them from accessing this information, but it’ll make them work harder for it. A strong email password should ideally contain a mixture of upper and lowercase letters. In addition, it should also have numbers interspersed with special characters. However, more importantly, refrain from using the same password for multiple accounts because it leaves you more vulnerable. If a cybercriminal accesses one of your accounts, they’ll manage to access others because they have a shared password.

Utilize Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication is another way to protect your email account. According to Microsoft, multi-factor authentication can prevent 99.9 percent of automated attacks on your email accounts.

Multi-factor authentication adds another security layer to your email accounts because you must validate your security credentials using a voice call or SMS sent to your phone before accessing your email account.

Use Email Encryption Services

Using email encryption services is an excellent way to protect your account. Some email providers won’t let you use add-ons and extensions. However, that’s not the case with Gmail. Google, for instance, welcomes third-party developers to create extensions and add-ons that improve email security. Consider using these tools to encrypt emails if your organization uses a corporate Gmail account.

Avoid Accessing Emails When Using Public Wi-Fi

Accessing emails while using public Wi-Fi is like shouting your email credentials in a crowded room. Public Wi-Fis are encryption-free connections, meaning cybercriminals can monitor all file sharing and traffic between the user and server on these networks. These networks make it significantly easier for cybercriminals to target your information. Hence, refrain from accessing work emails on public Wi-Fi.

Get Managed IT Services and Improve Cybersecurity with SunRiver IT

Ensuring email and cybersecurity is crucial for businesses of all sizes. If you’re looking to improve email and cybersecurity, we can help you.

SunRiver IT is a leading IT support company in Nashville that provides cybersecurity services for small businesses. We bring the best information technology solutions to small and medium-sized companies,  healthcare organizations, and local associations, helping them grow and protecting them from cyberattacks in today’s digital age.

Check out our website for more information. Alternatively, contact us to learn more.