Top 6 Email Security Technologies for the Enterprise

Email security refers to the measures taken to protect email communications from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction. It is important because email is a commonly used method of communication and is often used to transmit sensitive information such as personal data, financial information and confidential business information. 

Without proper security measures, this information could fall into the wrong hands, leading to financial loss or reputational damage. Additionally, email can also be used to spread malware or as a vector for phishing attacks, which can further compromise security. Therefore, implementing email security measures can help prevent these types of threats and protect individuals and organizations from harm, and should be a priority in any company’s information security strategy.

6 Email Security Technologies for the Enterprise

Encryption

Encryption is a method of securing email communications by converting the message and its contents into a code that can only be read by the intended recipient. This is done to protect the confidentiality of the message and the information it contains from being accessed by unauthorized parties.

Email encryption tools typically use one of two encryption methods: Symmetric or asymmetric encryption. Symmetric encryption uses a single shared key to both encrypt and decrypt the message. Asymmetric encryption, also known as public-key encryption, uses two different keys: A public key and a private key.   

Email encryption tools can also be used to encrypt the entire email, including the subject and sender/recipient information, or only encrypt the body of the message. Some popular tools include pretty good privacy (PGP), secure/multipurpose internet mail extensions (S/MIME) and transport layer security (TLS).

Secure Email Gateway

A secure email gateway is typically deployed as a hardware or software appliance to protect an organization’s email system from external threats. It acts as a “gateway” between the organization’s internal system and the external network (e.g., the internet).

The main function of such a gateway is to inspect and filter incoming and outgoing email traffic for malware, spam, phishing attempts and other types of cybersecurity threats. This is typically done by analyzing the content of messages, including attachments and links, as well as the sender’s and recipient’s addresses, to identify and block malicious messages.

Data Protection

An email data protection solution is a set of tools and technologies designed to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure or loss. It can help organizations to meet data privacy regulations and compliance requirements and to mitigate the risk of data breaches and reputational damage.

Email data protection solutions can include a variety of features, such as:

  • Data loss prevention (DLP) to identify and prevent sensitive information from leaving the organization via email.
  • Encryption to secure email communications in transit and at rest.
  • Archiving and e-discovery to preserve and search email for compliance and legal purposes.
  • Content filtering to block or quarantine messages that contain sensitive information.
  • Authentication to prevent spoofing and phishing.

Integrated Cloud Email Security

Integrated cloud email security (ICES) is a type of security solution that combines multiple security technologies and services to protect an organization’s email communications from cybersecurity threats. It is typically delivered as a cloud-based service, which means that the security software and infrastructure are hosted and managed by a third-party provider rather than being run on-premises.

An ICES solution typically includes a variety of security features such as:

  • Spam and malware filtering
  • Phishing protection
  • Email archiving and e-discovery
  • Advanced threat protection
  • Email continuity

It is designed to be an all-in-one solution which allows organizations to protect their email systems without the need for multiple point solutions.

Anti-Spam and Anti-Phishing Solutions

Anti-spam and anti-phishing solutions are technologies used to identify and block unwanted or malicious emails, such as spam and phishing attempts.

Anti-spam solutions use a variety of methods, such as:

  • Blacklists and whitelists, which contain the addresses or domains of known spam senders or legitimate senders, respectively.
  • Keyword filtering, a method that uses a set of keywords or phrases to identify and block emails that contain spam-related content.
  • Reputation-based filtering, a method that uses information from other sources, such as IP addresses, to determine the reputation of a sender and decide whether to block or allow the email.

Anti-phishing solutions are used to identify and block emails that are attempting to trick users into providing sensitive information, such as login credentials or financial information. Some of the methods used include:

  • URL filtering, which blocks access to known phishing websites or redirects users to a safer page.
  • Email authentication, which uses technologies such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify the identity of the sender of an email.
  • Heuristic-based detection, which uses pattern recognition and machine learning to identify the characteristics of a phishing email, such as the use of certain words or phrases.

Sandboxing

Sandboxing solutions are a type of security technology that are used to analyze and detect malware by running suspicious files or attachments in a controlled environment.

Sandboxing works by creating an isolated environment, called a sandbox, where a file or attachment can be executed without any access to the host system or network. This allows the solution to observe the behavior of the file or attachment and determine whether it is malicious or not.

Sandboxing solutions can enhance email security by providing an additional layer of protection against malware and other malicious files that may be distributed via email.

Conclusion

Email security is a critical component of any organization’s overall security strategy. With the increasing use of email for business communications, it has become a prime target for cybercriminals looking to steal sensitive information or spread malware. To protect against these threats, organizations need to implement a variety of security technologies and best practices.

The top six email security technologies for the enterprise include:

  • Secure email gateway
  • Email encryption
  • Email data protection 
  • Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES)
  • Anti-spam and anti-phishing solutions
  • Sandboxing

Implementing these technologies and best practices can help organizations to protect their email systems from cybersecurity threats, and to meet data privacy regulations and compliance requirements. It is important to have a comprehensive and layered approach to email security to ensure that sensitive information is protected and that the organization is protected from cyber-attacks.

 

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Gilad David Maayan

Gilad David Maayan is a technology writer who has worked with over 150 technology companies including SAP, Oracle, Zend, CheckPoint and Ixia, producing technical and thought leadership content that elucidates technical solutions for developers and IT leadership.

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