Enterprise Encryption

Secure enterprise
email explained

58% of cyber attacks target businesses. The majority happen by email. Why is enterprise email not secure?

Colleagues in office with laptop for meeting

What's up with enterprise email security?

Email has grown bigger than its origins

Email has been around nearly as long as the internet, and it was never designed as a secure method of communication. When you send an email, just like other internet data, it travels through multiple nodes. At any one of these, a bad actor could be present. It could be at your mail server, the server of your recipient, or somewhere in the middle. The thing is, there's no way to guarantee security at every stage.

People working at desk together in call centre using laptop

Email: internal and external risks

Misfires - more common than you think

It's not just bad actors you have to worry about when you click 'send'. The number one cause of email data exposure is human error - sending a sensitive email or document to the wrong person. It's easy to do in today's age of autocomplete, but it's not something to underestimate. Both organisations and individuals can be liable for fines, and the ICO regularly enforces on businesses of all sizes.

Working from home with head in hands in front of laptop

Encrypt emails and attachments

"Data controllers should have a policy governing encrypted email, including guidelines that enable staff to understand when they should or should not use it. There may be a guideline stating that any email containing sensitive personal data (either in the body or as an unencrypted attachment) should be sent encrypted."
- ICO, 2021

woman with glasses on looking intently at computer screen reviewing email security

Record data collection audit logs

"If you operate automated processing systems (any IT database), you must keep logs for at least the following processing actions: Collection, alteration, consultation, disclosure (including transfers), combination, erasure.

The law enforcement provisions do not include a definition of ‘automated processing system’ however it is interpreted to mean any system that undertakes processing by automated means, and is likely to involve human interaction (for example input of or access to data) at some point."
- ICO, 2021

Woman using laptop for IT work next to servers

Recall emails as soon as possible

"[in the event of a data breach] act quickly. Try to recall the email as soon as possible. If you can’t recall it, contact the person who received it and ask them to delete it. In the future, consider turning off the Autofill tool when sending work emails. The 72 hours following a personal data breach are particularly critical."
- ICO, 2021