What is Email Security?
Email security encompasses a set of practices and technologies designed to protect your organisation’s email infrastructure and data from cyber threats. It safeguards against malicious emails containing viruses, phishing attempts, spam, and other attacks that can compromise user accounts, steal sensitive information, or disrupt operations.
Key components:
- Spam and malware filtering: Microsoft 365 offers robust spam and malware filtering technologies that automatically scan incoming emails for suspicious content and prevent them from reaching user inboxes.
- Email encryption: Microsoft offers solutions like Azure Information Protection (AIP) and Office 365 Message Encryption to encrypt sensitive emails in transit and at rest, ensuring only authorised recipients can access the content.
- Anti-phishing protection: Microsoft Defender for Office 365 incorporates advanced anti-phishing features to detect and block emails designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): DLP policies within Microsoft 365 can help prevent the accidental or intentional sending of sensitive data via email by identifying and blocking emails containing keywords or data types that violate your organisation’s policies.
What are the benefits of email security?
- Enhanced security posture: Robust email security safeguards your organisation from a wide range of email-borne threats, protecting user accounts, sensitive data, and overall business continuity.
- Reduced risk of phishing attacks: Phishing is a common attack vector. Email security solutions can significantly reduce the risk of successful phishing attempts, protecting your users and data.
- Improved user awareness: Many email security solutions offer user education features that raise awareness about phishing tactics and best practices for secure email usage.
- Simplified management: Centralised management of email security features within Microsoft 365 streamlines administration and reduces the burden on your IT team.
Use cases with Microsoft 365:
- Protecting sensitive information: Email security is crucial for safeguarding sensitive data like financial information, intellectual property, and personal data that might be transmitted via email.
- Securing user accounts: Phishing attacks often target email to steal user credentials. Email security helps to prevent these attacks and protect user accounts.
- Complying with regulations: Many industries have regulations regarding data protection and email security. Microsoft 365’s email security features can help organisations meet these compliance requirements.
By implementing a comprehensive email security strategy with Microsoft 365, organisations can significantly enhance their email security posture, protect sensitive data, and ensure a safer email environment for their users.
