The use of email continues to grow, even as other methods of communication, such as instant messaging, social networking, and chat, gain popularity. This year, the total number of business and consumer emails sent and received each day will reach 269 billion, and it is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 4.4% over the next four years, reaching 319.6 billion by the end of 2021. In 2017, the number of email users worldwide exceeded 3.7 billion, and by the end of 2021, that number is projected to surpass 4.1 billion. This means that nearly half of the world’s population uses email.
Despite the increasing effectiveness of anti-malware solutions, the average number of successful email-borne malware attacks is also rising. The most common type of malware attacks are blended attacks, which may use two or more delivery methods, such as email and web access, to spread malware within an organization’s internal network. Often, these blended attacks begin with an email or utilize email in some way. For example, an email might not contain any malware itself but could provide a link to a website that hosts malware.
Spam emails are frequently used to deliver viruses and other forms of malware. Despite businesses investing in security measures, there is no 100% guarantee of protection against spam and its potentially harmful payloads. In addition to implementing spam filters, antivirus, and malware protection at the gateway, server, desktop, and web filtering, all businesses must educate their employees on email best practices.
Here’s a suggested list of items to include in your Email Best Practices document.
Email Best Practices
1. Use only your company email to communicate with coworkers, providers, vendors, etc.
2. Do not access personal email accounts at work.
3. Avoid opening email attachments unless you know their origin and what they contain.
4. Do not open, forward, or reply to spam or suspicious emails; instead, delete them.
5. Be aware of the common signs of scam emails, which may:
- Not be addressed to you by name.
- Requesting personal or financial information.
- Ask for your password.- Urge you to forward the message to others.
6. Refrain from clicking on website links in emails unless you know the source.
7. Do not cut and paste links from questionable messages into your web browser.
8. Never reply to emails or pop-up messages that ask for personal or financial information.
By following these best practices, you can help protect yourself and your organization from email-related security threats.