Small businesses are 350% more susceptible to phishing emails than their larger-sized counterparts. That’s because attackers assume that small businesses store valuable data in a way that has fewer protections – therefore, they send more malicious emails to smaller organizations. For this reason, small business email security is incredibly important.
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“The challenge that smaller businesses face involves a combination of both more attempts and fewer resources. The result is an overwhelming influx of phishing emails that outpaces the limited capacities of smaller teams. ” - Emil Isanov, CEO and Founder of ETech 7 |
Despite being a bigger target, most small businesses simply aren’t able to implement the same email security solutions as a large enterprise. That means that your SMB needs a specific email security strategy to keep your network safe using limited resources.
This article is here to help you plan that strategy. We’ll explore the types of threats that SMBs face, how to recognize them, and how to implement an email security strategy to reduce their prevalence.
Clicking a malicious link in an email can trigger several harmful actions, depending on the intent of the attacker. A few possibilities include the following.
Spear phishing emails target specific individuals in a business. Attackers often research their targets using public information, such as LinkedIn profiles or company websites. The email might appear to come from a trusted colleague or business partner and contain details that make it seem legitimate, such as referencing recent projects or internal processes. These attacks are highly effective, and are behind 66% of all successful phishing attacks.
In a business email compromise, attackers infiltrate the account of a high-ranking executive at a business. They then use that account to send carefully crafted emails to request financial transactions. Attackers often use a sense of urgency or authority to pressure the recipient into acting quickly without verifying the request with the real person.
Email spoofing involves forging the sender's email address to make it appear as if it is coming from a trusted source. The attacker’s goal is to deceive the recipient into believing the email is authentic. This tactic is often combined with requests for payments, login credentials, or sensitive data.
Reconnaissance emails are subtle attempts to gather information about the organization. They often appear as harmless inquiries or requests for confirmation of details, such as the names of employees or department contacts. The attacker uses this information to plan more targeted attacks.
Thread hijacking involves attackers gaining access to an employee’s email account and inserting malicious emails into ongoing email threads. These emails look credible since they appear to be part of an established conversation. Because this particular tactic sees such high success rates, its frequency has doubled over the past 2 years.
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Learn More About How You Can Prevent Cyber Threats |
Use your email provider's built-in MFA options. It’s completely free in most cases.Typically, this involves linking accounts to a mobile device for receiving a code or using an authentication app.MFA adds an extra layer of security. Even if a password is stolen through a phishing attack, the attacker cannot access the account without the second verification step.
Provide regular, simple training sessions to teach employees how to recognize fake emails that mimic trusted contacts. Focus on identifying unusual requests, unexpected attachments, unusual replies to emails, and slight changes in email addresses. Teaching employees to spot these emails reduces the risk of sensitive information being shared or malicious files being opened.
Work with your email service provider to configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. These can often be set up through a simple dashboard or by following step-by-step instructions. These protocols verify the legitimacy of senders and prevent attackers from spoofing your email domain.
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SPF (Sender Policy Framework) |
Matches the sender's IP address to a list of authorized IPs in the DNS record. |
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DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) |
Confirms that the email content has not been altered and is sent from an authorized domain. |
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DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) |
Checks the results of SPF and DKIM validation and enforces rules (e.g., reject, quarantine). |
Use free or low-cost cloud storage options to back up emails regularly. Ensure backups include critical communication and sensitive documents. Backups protect you from losing important information if an email account is compromised or if attackers delete data.
Many email services offer free filtering features that flag suspicious messages. Activate spam filters and set rules to block messages from known malicious domains. Filtering tools reduce the chances of harmful emails reaching your inbox. This decreases the risk of both phishing and malware attacks.
Require employees to create complex passwords that include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Encourage them to avoid using personal information like birthdays or names and implement mandatory password changes every 3 to 6 months. Strong passwords make it harder for attackers to guess or crack email accounts.
Create a simple process for employees to report suspicious emails. This can include forwarding emails to a dedicated security contact or marking them in the email client. Quick reporting allows potential threats to be identified and addressed before they escalate. It also helps train employees to stay vigilant about email security.
If applicable, set up email security software or services, such as spam filters, antivirus tools, and email encryption. Confirm these tools are compatible with your email platform. Test the setup to ensure it blocks harmful emails and scans for threats effectively.
Adjust your email settings to block suspicious links and attachments.That may include enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all email accounts and using email filtering rules to organize messages and prevent potential threats from reaching your inbox.
Send test emails with simulated phishing attempts to see if your security measures work. Make sure team members understand how to respond to flagged or blocked messages. Address any gaps in the setup before going live.
Inform your staff about the timeline for implementing the new email security plan. Share clear instructions on what to expect and how their workflow might change. You will also need to explain when training sessions will occur for any new security features you plan to implement.
Track how well the security tools perform by reviewing reports and logs. Watch for any unusual email activity and fine-tune your settings as needed. Keep communication open so employees can report issues or ask questions.
Schedule regular updates for your email security tools and software. Stay informed about new threats and adjust your plan to address them. Also, periodically refresh your team’s training to keep their knowledge up to date.
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Prevent Data Breaches With Some of NY’s Top Cyber Professionals |
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Maintaining a secure email gateway is simpler than it may seem. However, you can take it one step further with expert assistance. ETech 7 provides a team of cybersecurity experts who can bring advanced email protections to your SMB. We also offer 24/7 IT network monitoring to ensure that we detect any threat that slips through.
Reach out today to get started.