Cybersecurity information is readily available and widely circulated today. So have online hacking incidents decreased substantially? Not exactly. Hackers are still targeting personal credentials because they’re a slam dunk way to gain access to private information. According to Verizon’s 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report, stolen credentials account for 29% of all breaches, with 80% of hacking breaches traced back to weak or stolen passwords.

We’ve talked at length about email security and the risks of password compromise under the Business Tech topics on our blog. Today, we’d like to give you concrete, actionable steps to protect your email privacy.

Best Practices for Your Email Security

Email has become so commonplace that individuals are often desensitized to how much delicate information they may contain. Leaving email accounts unprotected on multiple devices is like leaving your front door open. If you think of your email as your home and envision it in the worst possible neighborhood, you’d use a lock. In fact, you’d probably use several locks and an alarm system. That’s precisely how you should approach email security.

Here are some best practices for you to mandate for your entire team:

• Make Unique Passwords Mandatory. A common mistake is that people are using the same password across multiple accounts. If you use the same password for your private email as you do for your work email and other accounts, the hackers only have to compromise one account to have access to all of them.
• Passwords Should Be Complex. Using personal information or simplistic passwords is another common mistake. You need to stay away from using words or information that can be guessed by knowing you or following you on social media. Ideally, passwords should appear to be a random sequence of numbers, letters, and symbols.
• Turn Off Auto-Fill. Auto-fill seems like a godsend. It eliminates a lot of time filling out information repeatedly. But it also means that all of that information is stored where malicious actors can get it. There are even phishing attacks targeting this exact technology. Remember, the things that save us time are often the biggest holes in security.
• Use a Business Password Manager. Keeping passwords written down can be dangerous, but if you’re following best practices, you’ll have a lot of hard to guess passwords to keep track of. Using a good password manager app can help you maintain the highest level of security in choosing passwords and making them safe.
• Never Leave Devices Unprotected. You should need to use your password every time you check your email on every device. The same goes for other accounts.

Looking for Expert IT in the Southwest to Manage Your Cyber Security?

If you’re concerned about cybersecurity, contact Integrated Axis today. Our experienced technicians can assess your process, help you find the best software solutions, and develop a reliable protocol to make sure best practices are followed to protect your company’s privacy.