Emailing is a part of the day to day operations for nearly every company in the modern world. In fact, campaign monitor reports that 124.5 billion business emails sent and received each day. But with the necessity of email growing every day, so too are risks found within our inbox.
While it might not be possible to avoid all potential threats, there are certain things every user has control over. Here are 4 dangerous mistakes you should always avoid while using your email.
#4. Clicking on Links from Suspicious Emails
Yes, we’re aware that this first tip probably sounds a bit obvious, but clicking on links within emails from unfamiliar senders is quite possibly the worst thing someone with an email address can do. Typically, it isn’t too challenging to tell when an email is phishing or attempting to infect your system with malware. Check out this blog we wrote previously on 4 ways to identify these types of emails.
To summarize, don’t click on sketchy emails, and definitely don’t click on the links within them.
#3. Having a Bad Password
A bad password doesn’t have one overarching definition. Passwords with information that can be attained by almost anyone, like birthdays, pet names, and so on, certainly aren’t as secure as the user would like. Passwords that are overly simplified and lack numbers or special characters also lack strength.
We wrote in a previous blog about the importance of a good password. Follow the tips of that blog to ensure the password to your email address is secure.
#2. Log out of Your Email When You Aren’t Using It
It doesn’t matter how much you trust your coworkers or the people you live with. Signing out of your email when you aren’t using it and won’t be in the area is a surefire way to reduce risk. By staying logged into your email, you can never be sure who will gain access. And once access is gained to your private email, there is virtually no limit to the damage that can be inflicted.
#1. Not Using Anti-Virus Software
Installing reputable antivirus software is highly recommended by just about everyone who works in or around online security. A few of the main responsibilities of these software systems include scanning attachments for any hazardous content, and even filtering out emails that can easily be identified as fraudulent.
Check out this article from TechWalla that breaks down more of the benefits of anti-virus software, then do some of your own research to find a software you can trust.
It’s safe to categorize most of these tips under, “common sense,” but unfortunately these mistakes occur every single day. By avoiding the 4 obvious mistakes in this blog, you’ll find yourself much closer to attaining cybersecurity, and limiting your exposure to risks.
Categorised in: Business Management, computer, digital, Digital Age, IT Consulting Services