Email is a massive vulnerability point that weakens organizational security. Organizations must always be on their guard from the massive trail of destruction email compromise can create.
Failure to follow standard email security protocol principles may become increasingly perilous for businesses interacting with clients and customers. Recent research by Deloitte shows that 91% of all Cyber-attacks Begin with a Phishing Email , and that 80% of email scams involve weak or stolen passwords to access corporate networks. Such cases are increasing through BYOD, mobile devices or employee personal devices. Also, poor email security hygiene directly impacts enterprise security which works as the entry point to corporate data and systems.
Here are lists of vulnerabilities that may weaken email security significantly.
List of Vulnerabilities in Emails—Open Gate for Threats
Deloitte’s finding mentions that 91% of cyber-attacks begin with a phishing email. Emails are one of the soft targets to hit a business.
In this aspect, overlooking emails as a security risk is a dangerous mistake for any organization. That emphasizes security leaders to focus on vulnerable areas of emails that threat attackers can use to penetrate businesses and affects adversely.
Poor Password Mechanism
Businesses face several email security threats, including phishing, account compromise, and social engineering attacks. These attacks are caused due to poor password mechanisms companies provide to employees or users who keep generic ones. Credential theft is a significant threat that rolls down as a source of vulnerabilities, thus harming businesses by taking over data shared through emails.
Threat actors alter passwords and reuse them to access important emails containing sensitive and valuable customer information. It is how threat actors weaken business email’s security as accounts are compromised.
Some frequent phishing emails ask users to reset passwords, which is also a vulnerable way to email risks. Even if an organization has email protection protocols and regular security training, it can be difficult for users to determine whether or not an email is fraudulent.
Weak Links to Access Emails
The consequences of phishing campaigns via emails act as another vulnerable point for threat actors to enter businesses. Fake emails or spam emails circulate the most in companies. Such emails look like business-driven communication mediums, but the reality is completely different.
Malevolent links can take users to dangerous sites. It includes redirecting to the company webpage, social media page, or company-based software. A single click on this link will provide an open gate for threats to reach the surface email domains.
Email access links are the targets for gaining access to a particular business network and hacking. The access links may also redirect toward business-related information, financial records, customer projects, and other digital assets.
Absence of Security Protocols for Emails
One of the essential email security vulnerabilities is the absence of email security protocols or functionalities. Emails convey business communications, saving critical business data, customer information, or financial records. As email marketing activities are at an exponential stage, businesses having no email security is a significant cause for ugly threats to occur. The scary thing is that emails have very limited security compliances.
The consequences of a single penetration can be direct attacks on employees through phishing campaigns or social engineering, malware attacks, and email viruses.
Unauthorized Email Domain
Many businesses use unauthorized email domains. The domains require registration, selling, or using the domain name to profit business partner’s brand.
However, if businesses have non-registered domains, it is not a good sign for emails to remain safe from ugly threats. Consequently, companies, employees, and customers may become domain squatting targets. Domain squatting is one of the most vulnerable points for email risks
Unsecured Email Downloads
Usually, fraudulent email attachments look similar to authentic business email attachments. Such attachments contain viruses or are sources of phishes that could harm businesses adversely. Threat actors send harmful files, such as malware, through attachments through documents, links, or scanners embedded within the email.
These files compromise email security, leading to data breaches and infecting systems. Users must check if downloads are safe by running them under virus scanners. Even blocking file types such as .bat, .exe, and .jar are essential to curb cyber-attacks and email threats.
Crypto-Ransomware
Crypto ransomware encodes a user’s files and demands a ransom payment for the decryption key. Such an attack can severely impact email security and boost risks, resulting in data loss or financial damage. Crypto ransomware is also considered an unavoidable vulnerable point and is essential for businesses to address by implementing robust email security protocols that mitigate threats.
For this, businesses should also practice data backup regularly to a separate online storage location and connected networks. They can also use access controls to restrict access to emails that contain important files and data or provide access to responsible officials. Furthermore, strong password policies, two-factor authentication, and least privilege access are robust solutions to reduce email threat vulnerability points.
Also Read: What Organizations Need to Know About the Security Implications of Excessive Data Privacy
Configuration Errors
Email configuration errors are significant vulnerability points that are commonly found in businesses. It is a ubiquitous email security issue. A poorly configured email service may lead to substantial and multiple security threats.
Configuration errors result in the delivery of emails without authentication, which also harms the recipients. Such an error may cause businesses to send random emails to clients and customers that also keep them under attack via systems, mobiles, networks, and servers.
Emails with such vulnerabilities may lead to data leakage, identity theft, and access glitches. It is essential to have proper configuration management practices implemented to prevent configuration errors. It includes deploying control processes, documenting configurations, and frequently reviewing and testing system configurations to ensure they are current and functioning as proposed.
The Final Remark is Consciously Keep up with Current Email Security Threats Solutions
Businesses find new email security vulnerabilities daily. Business heads and security leaders must stay updated with the latest email security threats to ensure that remedial action is taken immediately.
Apart from this, another popular vulnerability point that weakens email security is humans. They are the weakest link in email risks. So, to safeguard emails, organizations should maintain good cyber hygiene as a priority and deploy essential email security solutions to combat ugly threats.
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