Information on email security threats

Security threats to your email communications

The Internet is used by millions of people all over the world. The Internet has improved business communications and opened new business opportunities by cutting costs and speeding up the communication process. However, it has also allowed fraudsters to benefit from the lack of common knowledge that most Internet users have over basic Internet security. The following section highlights email security problems that are mitigated by the use of SSLPost Secure email.

Eavesdropping

Email eavesdropping is a fundamental problem on the “Information Super-Highway”. It is very easy for people to access information held on computers and servers not intended for sharing. Email, although in many aspects the most efficient form of communication, has the potential to spread private information to both unwanted and unknown recipients.

Message alteration and email deletion

Message alteration and email deletion can occur at many points during an email’s journey to the intended recipient. Anyone who can access the SMTP Servers that a message visits is able to read and change the message before it is forwarded onto its intended destination. The recipient has, therefore, no way of knowing whether the email has been tampered with. Furthermore if the message was deleted it would never arrive and the intended recipient would be none the wiser.

False messaging

False messaging has created the perfect environment for the spreading of viruses. It is very easy to construct an email that looks as if it has come from someone that the recipient would normally trust. Many people open emails appearing to be from someone they know only to find that they have inadvertently infected their computer.

The implications of false emails

The implications of false emails can cause huge problems in business communications. Forged and false emails circulating the Internet have made it almost impossible to tell whether someone did or did not send you a message. It is very possible for someone to deny that they sent you a message when they did, or say that they sent you a message when they didn’t. This has obvious repercussions for businesses that rely heavily on email.

Using SSLPost

Using SSLPost secure email overcomes the security threats identified above. Find out more.