Email security is the act of defending electronic communications against various digital threats. This includes protecting email accounts from unauthorized access, securing domains against impersonation attempts, and blocking harmful elements like phishing attacks, fraud, and malware. Additionally, it involves filtering out spam and implementing encryption to ensure message confidentiality, allowing only authorized individuals to access email content.
Related: HIPAA Compliant Email: The Definitive Guide
Many organizations believe their built-in spam filters provide adequate security. However, modern cyber threats are far more sophisticated than traditional spam. While basic filters might catch obvious junk mail, they often miss advanced phishing attempts, business email compromise (BEC) attacks, and zero-day threats that require security solutions like Paubox Email Suite Plus with inbound security, which protects against security threats like spam, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
There's a dangerous misconception that cybercriminals only target large enterprises. In reality, smaller organizations, especially healthcare providers, are often prime targets because they typically have valuable data but weaker security measures. Cybercriminals view them as low-hanging fruit with potentially easier access to sensitive information like patient records.
According to the Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report, organizations with fewer employees actually spend a higher proportion of their IT budget on cybersecurity (14%) compared to larger organizations (7%), indicating that small businesses are indeed significant targets requiring substantial security investment.
Many believe implementing encrypted email requires technical expertise and creates user friction. Modern solutions like Paubox have eliminated this complexity - emails are automatically encrypted without requiring passwords, portals, or extra steps from senders or recipients. It works seamlessly with existing email workflows while maintaining HIPAA compliance.
Some users assume emails appearing to come from known brands or colleagues are automatically trustworthy. However, sophisticated phishing attacks can perfectly mimic legitimate emails. Even emails that appear to come from trusted sources should be scrutinized, which is why advanced authentication protocols are crucial.
Organizations often undervalue security awareness training, seeing it as an unnecessary expense. However, human error remains one of the biggest security vulnerabilities. According to an academic paper about the need for cybersecurity self-evaluation in healthcare, this is a weakness among staff that makes the healthcare sector a prime target for cyber attacks. Regular training helps employees recognize threats and follow security best practices, forming a layer of defense alongside technical solutions.
A widespread belief is that simply viewing emails without opening attachments is safe. However, HTML-formatted emails can contain malicious code that executes automatically when opened. These emails may also include web bugs - invisible images that verify active email addresses for spammers. Even preview panes can trigger these security risks.
Many users trust that emails come from the displayed sender address. However, email addresses are easily spoofed, and even emails appearing to come from known contacts could be malicious. Sophisticated attackers can create nearly perfect replicas of legitimate business emails, making verification through email headers and security protocols necessary.
Email security protects organizations from cyber attacks that can lead to data breaches, financial losses, and reputation damage.
An email authentication protocol that combines SPF and DKIM to protect against email spoofing and provides reporting on email authentication attempts.
An authentication method that acts like a guest list, showing which servers are authorized to send emails from your domain.
A security protocol that adds a digital signature to verify emails haven't been modified during transit.