Secure Email ECP - A Must For Any Serious Business
Secure email, or Email Compromise Protection (ECP), is a technical solution design to stop fraudulent emails. The service effectively protects your organisation whilst also protecting your customers and suppliers.
Safeguard Your Brand
Guarantee every email is authentic, shielding your brand from phishing and spoofing attacks.
Prevent Financial Loss
Lock down your email accounts to stop breaches and unauthorized transactions, securing your business and finances.
Stay Compliant and Secure
Achieve top-tier compliance with cutting-edge email security that safeguards sensitive data and meets all regulatory demands.
We Secure Your Email
Email fraudsters often target employees, customers, suppliers, or other business connections through phishing, social engineering, or malware. Once they gain access to an account, they manipulate recipients into transferring money, sharing sensitive information, or completing unauthorized transactions. Since these scams involve third parties communicating with each other, email filters and stricter security routines offer little protection.
That's where Email Compromise Protection or Secure Email as we also call it, comes in hand to safeguard both your company internally as well as externally.
How Does Secure Email Work?
The service is based on a combination of SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Together, they provide adequate protection not only against phishing, but also increase the likelihood of legitimate email being delivered to the recipient.
For maximum email security, we also recommend actively monitoring new domain name registrations to proactively detect any trade marks similar to yours. This allows more effective action against unauthorised use.
SPF
SPF blocks unauthorized users from sending emails with your domain by specifying which servers are allowed. It works by listing approved IP addresses in DNS records. However, SPF fails to protect emails that are forwarded, making it less effective against certain types of email spoofing.
DKIM
DKIM is an email authentication method that verifies emails through cryptographic signatures, ensuring they come from authorized servers. Unlike SPF, DKIM remains effective even when emails are forwarded, making it tougher for attackers to fake messages. However, DKIM can be challenging to set up and may not always be fully reliable on its own. It’s best used as part of a comprehensive email security plan.
DMARC
DMARC enhances SPF and DKIM by giving senders tools to prevent and monitor domain abuse. It verifies sender authenticity and directs email clients on whether to accept or reject messages based on your policy.
Process
We Are With You All The Way
After a period of having seen the extreme rise in the occurrence of false emails, we turned to Abion. Abion presented their service Secure Email (ECP) for us, which seemed promising. After a bit of tweaking and thorough analysis work with Abion, the problem is now basically eliminated.
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How E-Mail Fraud Became a Threat to Oatly's Success
The number of reported email fraud increased by over 1000% and Oatly needed to secure its business against this threat. For over 10 years, Oatly has relied on us to be their strategic partner for domain names and DNS.
Learn more about Secure Email
In the current digital landscape, secure email is more than just a buzzword; it’s a fundamental requirement. These services are designed to protect email accounts and the sensitive information they contain through robust security measures, primarily end-to-end encryption. Taking the proactive step of embracing secure email can enhance the safety and security of digital communications for businesses and consumers alike.
Why is this important?
Confidentiality in both personal and business email interactions is essential in ensuring private information remains private and that sensitive data is not exposed to potential threats. In a world where email is now one of the primary modes of communication, securing your emails is a necessity. Sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, intellectual property, and health records must be protected to prevent unauthorised access and misuse. The consequences of a data breach can be severe, leading to significant issues such as financial loss or customer trust losses.
Secure email services play a vital role in safeguarding this information from cyber threats like hacking, phishing, and email interception. Secure email providers help mitigate these risks by offering a protected email service that enhances privacy and maintains the confidentiality of your information.
What is Secure Email?
Secure email combines two critical components: encryption and authentication. Email encryption ensures that the content of your emails is scrambled into a format that can only be read by the intended recipient, thanks to end-to-end encryption. This means that even if the email is intercepted during its journey, the content remains inaccessible to unauthorised parties.
Common encryption methods include TLS, PGP, and AES-256. These standards are designed to protect your emails both in transit and in the inbox. However, be aware that some methods like TLS and PGP encryption might have vulnerabilities. Therefore, it’s important to select a secure email provider that ensures robust encryption protocols.
Sensitive Data Protected
Secure email safeguards personal, financial, and medical data, ensuring privacy and blocking unauthorized access. For businesses and individuals, it's essential to protect vital information. Here's why these data types need strong email security.
Personal Data
Personal data includes any information that can identify an individual, such as names, addresses, or phone numbers. This category also encompasses Personally Identifiable Information (PII) like social security numbers and email addresses, as well as indirect PII like date of birth and IP address.
Guarding this data against identity theft and other fraudulent activities is vital.
Financial Data
Financial data includes sensitive information like bank account details, credit card numbers, and transaction records. Encrypted email services are crucial for protecting this information from unauthorised access and fraud. Using strong encryption methods, such as AES-256, ensures that even if the email is intercepted, the financial data remains secure.
Medical Data
Medical data, or Protected Health Information (PHI), includes medical records, health histories, and lab results. This data is highly sensitive and must be secured to comply with privacy laws like HIPAA.
Encrypted data ensures that medical information remains confidential and protected from unauthorised access through secure messages.
Company Data / Trade Secrets
Company data and trade secrets can include highly confidential information such as product details, upcoming releases, designs, and proprietary recipes. This data is vital to a company's success, and if it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be severe.
Implementing encryption and authentication protocols on your mail servers ensure that this critical and confidential information is well-protected against unauthorised access.
Key Features of Secure Email Services
Secure email services provide key features like end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and digital signatures to protect your information. These tools ensure email security, integrity, and authenticity. Let's explore how they enhance your email protection.
Common Cyber Threats Addressed by Secure Email
Email communications are susceptible to numerous cyber threats, which can compromise the security and confidentiality of your information. Secure email services are designed to address these threats, including phishing attacks, email interception, and human error. By implementing robust security measures, secure mail providers help protect your information from these common cyber risks.
Recognising these threats and the mitigations offered by secure email services is an important step in safeguard digital communications.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks involve cybercriminals impersonating reputable entities to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information. These emails often contain malicious links designed to steal information or deploy malware.
Secure mail services, such as encrypted email service, use email authentication to verify the sender’s identity and ensure the legitimacy of the message, helping to prevent phishing attacks.
Email Interception
Email interception occurs when an attacker intercepts and possibly alters email communications. End-to-end encryption protects against this by ensuring that only the intended recipient can decrypt and read the email content. Even if the email is intercepted, the content remains unreadable without the proper decryption key.
Human Error
Human error is a significant factor in data breaches, such as mistakenly sending an unencrypted email to the wrong recipient or clicking on a link in a fraudulent email. The following preventive measures helps users avoid such mistakes and gain access to secure emails:
- Email risk warnings
- Encryption options
- Identifying fraudulent emails
- Two-factor authentication
- Secure file sharing
- Email recall options
By utilising these features, users can minimise the risk of human error and protect sensitive information that only you should be able to acess.
Consequences of Not Using Secure Email
Neglecting secure email usage can result in serious consequences, encompassing legal and regulatory penalties, financial losses, and erosion of trust. Data breaches can expose sensitive information, resulting in fines from regulatory bodies and significant financial costs for remediation.
Additionally, compromised security protocols can damage a company’s reputation and erode customer trust. Comprehending these consequences underscores the significance of employing secure emails to protect your communications and uphold your information’s integrity. Let’s examine these potential repercussions more closely.
Legal and Regulatory Penalties
Non-compliance with data protection laws can lead to substantial fines from regulatory bodies. For example, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK can impose significant penalties on businesses that fail to protect email communications.
Ensuring ongoing compliance with these laws is essential to avoid legal risks and potential fines.
Financial Losses
Data breaches can result in the following financial losses:
- Costly remediation measures
- Forensic investigations
- Compensation to affected parties
- Fines
- Legal fees
- Expenses for incident response and mitigation
These losses can be substantial. Identity theft resulting from data breaches can also lead to significant financial implications.
Loss of Trust
Compromised email protocols can severely damage a company’s reputation and erode customer trust. Once trust is lost, regaining customer loyalty and confidence can be challenging.
Data breaches can lead to long-term financial instability and reduced acquisition and retention levels, ultimately harming the business.
Choosing the Right Secure Email Provider
Choosing an appropriate secure email provider is key to meeting your specific needs and implementing top-notch security features. When evaluating providers, consider the range of features and security settings they offer, such as end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and digital signatures. Transparency about data handling practices is also important.
Usability and compatibility are other critical factors. A user-friendly interface ensures ease of navigation and daily use, while compatibility with existing tools and email clients enhances productivity. We’ll further explore these criteria.
Assessing Security Measures
When choosing the best secure email provider, security measures should be your top priority. Look for strong encryption protocols, server-side encryption, and metadata header stripping to ensure robust protection.
Secure transmission protocols like TLS prevent email interception and tampering, adding an extra layer of security.
Considering Usability
For successful adoption of a secure email solution, usability is paramount. A clean, modern interface that is intuitive for both desktop and mobile devices can significantly improve user satisfaction and efficiency. Providers offering helpful tutorials and guides also facilitate a smoother transition to secure email services.
Integration and Compatibility
For smooth operation, compatibility with widely-used email clients and productivity tools is crucial. Seamless integration with tools like Microsoft Outlook, Google, Yahoo, Mozilla Thunderbird, and mobile apps ensures that users can access their secure email accounts and manage email messages on the go.
Email Compromise Protection with Abion
As web security specialist, Abion offers advanced and effective web security solutions to ensure your brand is protected online. As part of our cyber security portfolio, we offer Email Compromise Protection (ECP) service.
The service is based on a combination of SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Together, they provide reliable protection not only against phishing, but also increase the likelihood of legitimate email being delivered to the recipient. Combined with our monitoring services, ECP benefits clients in the following ways:
- Comprehensive Defense with Expert Guidance: Our ECP service not only fortifies your email infrastructure but also provides expert guidance to ensure precise configuration. This guidance minimises the risk of misconfigurations that might inadvertently relegate legitimate emails to the trash bin.
- Mitigating Mistakes: One of the key advantages of our service is the meticulous support provided during the setup phase. Our experts assist in configuring the system accurately, reducing the chances of misalignments among SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols. This meticulous approach minimises false positives, ensuring that legitimate emails aren’t mistakenly flagged as fraudulent.
- Project Management Integration: Implementing ECP isn't just about technicalities; it's a comprehensive project. Our service extends beyond mere setup by integrating project management methodologies. This approach ensures seamless integration into your existing infrastructure without disruptions, guaranteeing a smooth transition while enhancing your email security.
- Alerts & Reporting: Monitoring supervises your email flow, enabling early detection of any emails failing SPF/DMARC/DKIM checks. This significantly reduces troubleshooting time and sends alerts for irregularities, such as when a new system sends non-compliant emails. It also notifies you if your SPF record becomes invalid or includes too much data, providing the closest level of proactive monitoring achievable.
Conclusion
Securing your email communications is crucial in today’s digital age. By understanding what secure email is, why it’s important, and the key features to look for, you can make informed decisions about protecting your sensitive information. Secure email services offer robust security measures, including end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and digital signatures, to safeguard your communications.
Choosing the right secure email provider involves assessing security measures, usability, and integration capabilities. Additionally, leveraging extra features like encrypted cloud storage, secure calendars, and password managers can further enhance your security. Ultimately, using secure email services helps mitigate common cyber threats and avoid the severe consequences of data breaches, including legal penalties, financial losses, and loss of trust.
FAQ
If I use SPF, DKIM and DMARC, will I be completely protected, and will all my emails reach my inbox?
In addition to implementing SPF, DKIM and DMARC, you need continuous analysis of your email flow based on DMARC report information. The SPF, DKIM or DMARC protocols do not provide you with a qualified analysis, nor can they distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent email content. These are critical features needed for reliable protection. In response, Abion has developed Email Compromise Protection as a service, where we take proactive responsibility for everything from pre-studies to implementation and continuous adjustments.
What are fraudulent emails and how are they carried out?
Since email remains the main communication tool for businesses, it's a prime target for scams, where fake email addresses are used to steal money, sensitive information, or spread malware.
In the past, fraudulent emails often involved registering a domain name similar to a real company’s (typosquatting) to trick people into thinking it was legitimate. These emails could easily deceive customers or employees into sharing sensitive information. Today, scams have become more advanced. Spoofing makes fake emails look identical to real ones, while spear-phishing involves fraudsters studying a company’s structure and impersonating colleagues to steal information or money.
What types of sensitive data are protected by Secure email?
Secure email protects personal, financial, company and medical data, ensuring the confidentiality and security of sensitive information.
Why is Secure email important?
Secure email is important because it safeguards sensitive information from unauthorised access and cyber threats.
How do you protect against fraudulent emails?
If you want to protect yourself against fraudulent emails, it is not enough to just implement SPF or DKIM. These alone do not provide sufficient protection for both the receiving and sending domains. For complete protection, DMARC must be added on top of SPF and DKIM. DMARC is the component that validates whether a sender is authentic or not and then directs the email client to accept or reject the message. It is also important to increase awareness within the company. For example, all employees need to be vigilant when receiving internal emails that initiate money transfers.
What are the consequences of not using Secure email?
Not using secure email can lead to legal penalties, financial losses, and loss of trust. These consequences can have serious implications for individuals and organisations.
What are some key features of Secure Email services?
Secure email services should have features like end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and digital signatures to ensure the privacy and security of your communication. The secure email service is often provided by the web host, however there are also many companies who provide secure email service as a stand alone product.
What is Secure email?
Secure email combines encryption and authentication to protect the privacy and security of email communications, ensuring that sensitive information remains confidential and secure.
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