Hillary Clinton has certainly been under fire in the news recently for her insecure email usage. However, there are many strategies businesses can teach their employees and learn from Clinton's mistakes to ensure safe technology use in the workplace.
Here are five secure email service and Internet tips for any organization looking to be safer online:
1. Keep information quiet CenturyLink recommended never sending sensitive or private information over email without proper email security. Email encryption helps keep this data safe, but if hackers have an administrator username and password, encryption can't stop them from breaking into the account. The source added that emails can be forwarded infinitely, so information has the ability to spread very easily to anyone in the corporate world - or the press.
"With as much business and personal correspondence being conducted in the online sphere, including via email, it's of vital importance to keep those exchanges secured and away from cybercriminals who traffic in selling personal information on the black market," Kevin Haley, director of Symantec's rapid response team, told MainStreet.
2. Install the basics Although cybersecurity has become a serious topic, many consumers have yet to install the necessary basics to protect themselves. These habits will migrate into the workplace. MyCentralJersey.com insisted on having a firewall, antivirus software and complex passwords for all technology in the office.
Employees should also know how to scan their own computers for viruses and update their passwords every few months. A password notebook is one way to help workers keep track of passcodes and PINs for various programs.
3. Avoid scams This may seem like a simple task for anyone used to receiving spam emails about a Nigerian prince, but it never hurts to make sure all staff know to never answer unsolicited emails. Any incoming email that features an unfamiliar name or attachment should be deleted immediately.
ABC News recommended teaching workers how to prevent viruses from spreading onto other computers in the workplace. Encourage them to update antivirus software and tell them to avoid downloading from file-sharing websites.
4. Become private All devices should be locked and password-protected in the workplace. Tablets, laptops and computers all have the ability to be secured in some way, and Web browsers often have privacy settings that can be customized so computers are more secure. Two-factor authentication has also become popular since it's much safer than a one-step password protected device. Email services commonly come with this feature.
"To have a more secure email account on your computer or smartphone, it is necessary to activate the two-factor authentication feature," Fabio Assolini, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, told MainStreet. "Most of the webmail services offer it for free. This security feature sends an OTP or an on time password, a short number, via SMS to your smartphone. Once you receive this message, you'll need to input the OTP to fully access your account."
5. Keep on teaching As technology advances, so will cybersecurity techniques. Organizations have to keep up with evolving protections so their companies stay safe and secure. Training sessions for employees are necessary to keep them on top of these strategies. Meetings like these can establish an environment of open communication where workers feel comfortable enough to come to supervisors with questions about digital security.
Communication within businesses is necessary to keep data safe. Managers have to put in effort to help newer employees learn and update more tenured employees on cybersecurity advancements. When organizations encourage all workers to keep their eyes and ears open, they become safer in the digital world.
David Bailey is Senior Vice President at Protected Trust.
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