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Email Security Tips For Small Business Owners

BY Rebecca | 11 January, 2017 | no comments

The internet has quickly become an essential element in business.  For business owners, email is one of the most important communication tools available.  Email is rapidly being used more and more to transfer sensitive documents and intellectual property.  

Without proper security measures, these delicate pieces of information could easily be compromised.  Though there are common security actions that are typically in place (firewalls and antivirus software), more sophisticated efforts are necessary.

Utilize several different email addresses.

It seems like a common sense concept, but do not try to run a small business from one single email address.  It is far too confusing over time and very dangerous to place all that vital information in one spot.  Do not put all the eggs in one basket.  

Piece out valuable information into sectioned and categorized email addresses.  Running every bit of a business’s communication through one medium leaves the company wide opened to an electronic infringement.  

Embrace the password reset.

Password security should be a small business top priority.  Embrace the idea of weekly or monthly password resets for all email accounts associated with the business.  Choose long and complex passwords.  Add numbers, letters, and symbols to create an uncrackable entry code.  

Also, shy away from using real words in passwords.  Hackers and bots are well-versed at cycling through dictionary terms to crack simple passwords.  Do not think that the name of a friend, dog, or mother will be tricky enough to keep delicate business files under lock and key.  

Set up a two-step verification process.

Two-step verification will instantly boost a small business’s security.  With this type of verification system, it is almost a guarantee that no hacker will ever get into a company email.  Set up the login information to send a mobile phone notification.  Sending the second step verification to another company email is a slightly less efficient method of security.  

To avoid being repeatedly stalled by timely authentication steps, it is possible to set the account to allow a given computer free entry after verification information is entered.  This way, future logins will only require the entry of a password.  

Educate staff members on viruses, spam, and phishing.  

Educating staff members on the transfer of viruses through email, spam, and the wiles of phishing scammers is one of the most crucial pieces of the safety puzzle.  If the employees are not adequately educated, viruses can run a business’s network into the ground in a matter of days.  

It is not a pretty sight.  It is well worth the effort to invest time and money into training employees to have a watchful eye when checking their emails.  Over time, this education will save the company hundreds in computer repair costs.  

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