It is hard to think of a time when email was not the primary method of communication for anyone in America. Businesses rely on email for marketing, business building and communication. While email presents a wide range of opportunities for both large and small businesses, it does not come without challenges. There are a number of precautionary measures should be taken in order to safeguard the security of your business when using email.
Passwords
We all like to choose passwords that are easy for us to remember. When I started using the computer for online banking, Internet and email I made all my passwords the same and just left them that way for a long time. A good friend of mine, who happens to be a computer security expert, gently encouraged me to “mix” things up a bit. He suggested that I use a combination of letters and numbers for my password, as opposed to all letters. If you are at the library or an Internet café somewhere, do not ask the computer to remember your password and always remember to log out.
Opening Mail
One of the most dangerous things you can do to threaten the security of your online information is to open foreign mail. Internet security professionals warn that any incoming mail that seems odd or out of place probably is and should be left alone. This is especially true of mail that has attachments. Attachments may carry damaging viruses. This is even true if you receive an email with an attachment from someone you know. If something looks off with the attachment or email, be sure to double check that the mail is actually from who it says it is from. Never respond to an unknown email attachment, as this is only an invitation for spam and more unwanted email.
Spam and Spoof
Most email providers use spam filters. Always set these filters at the highest level possible. Be very careful of where you use your email address online, as spammers will quickly grab it up and send annoying and potentially harmful correspondence. Some businesses opt for paying a little more for the highest spam security possible. This is a worthwhile expenditure if spam slows down productivity and threatens the security of your operations. Spoofing is when someone uses a legitimate email for the use of spamming. Do not give any personal information over the Internet, this is considered phishing and can lead to identity theft.
Encryption
If you send a lot of sensitive data over the Internet, it is wise to use email encryption. Encryption management programs change the nature of the information being sent through cyberspace and rearrange it in the proper order once the recipient opens the mail. Many businesses rely on encryption programs to safeguard information and find that they are well worth the investment.
Keeping your computer healthy, just like your body, is great prevention. Always use and keep your antivirus program up to date and run regular scans. In addition, run adware and spyware removal programs regularly. Keep on top of all Windows Updates and invest in network protection to keep data safe.
Passwords
We all like to choose passwords that are easy for us to remember. When I started using the computer for online banking, Internet and email I made all my passwords the same and just left them that way for a long time. A good friend of mine, who happens to be a computer security expert, gently encouraged me to “mix” things up a bit. He suggested that I use a combination of letters and numbers for my password, as opposed to all letters. If you are at the library or an Internet café somewhere, do not ask the computer to remember your password and always remember to log out.
Opening Mail
One of the most dangerous things you can do to threaten the security of your online information is to open foreign mail. Internet security professionals warn that any incoming mail that seems odd or out of place probably is and should be left alone. This is especially true of mail that has attachments. Attachments may carry damaging viruses. This is even true if you receive an email with an attachment from someone you know. If something looks off with the attachment or email, be sure to double check that the mail is actually from who it says it is from. Never respond to an unknown email attachment, as this is only an invitation for spam and more unwanted email.
Spam and Spoof
Most email providers use spam filters. Always set these filters at the highest level possible. Be very careful of where you use your email address online, as spammers will quickly grab it up and send annoying and potentially harmful correspondence. Some businesses opt for paying a little more for the highest spam security possible. This is a worthwhile expenditure if spam slows down productivity and threatens the security of your operations. Spoofing is when someone uses a legitimate email for the use of spamming. Do not give any personal information over the Internet, this is considered phishing and can lead to identity theft.
Encryption
If you send a lot of sensitive data over the Internet, it is wise to use email encryption. Encryption management programs change the nature of the information being sent through cyberspace and rearrange it in the proper order once the recipient opens the mail. Many businesses rely on encryption programs to safeguard information and find that they are well worth the investment.
Keeping your computer healthy, just like your body, is great prevention. Always use and keep your antivirus program up to date and run regular scans. In addition, run adware and spyware removal programs regularly. Keep on top of all Windows Updates and invest in network protection to keep data safe.
No comments:
Post a Comment