Most of us use it all the time – at home, at work, on our cell phones – checking our email is one of the first things we do every day. Even with the popularity of texting and instant messaging, email remains one of the most prevalent forms of communication. It is estimated that in 2021 that about 320 billion emails will be sent and that number will probably continue to rise. With all the talk about internet security and the sheer volume of emails traversing the globe on a daily basis, you might be surprised to find out they are also one of the least secure methods of communication.
Despite that, we continue to constantly use email because it’s quick, convenient and gets your message across. This creates the illusion that it’s a form of direct messaging but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, each email that you send travel through multiple servers. This includes the all ISP’s involved and a copy of the email is stored at each stop along the way. Additional copies are stored on the sender’s and the recipient’s computer, so even if they both delete it, several copies still exist on various servers. So what can you do to make your emails more secure? There are email safety tips that can help.
Create Strong Passwords
This email tip isn’t new when it comes to internet security, yet many of us continue to use passwords that are easy for us to remember. The easier the password is for you to remember, the easier it is for someone else to figure out. Family names, birthdates, a favorite destination, and similar passwords should be avoided. A random combination of letters, numbers, and symbols is the best type of password to use. While it may be difficult to remember at first, it will be even harder for someone else to figure out.
Fabricate Security Questions and Answers
In the future, it may become more difficult but unfortunately, all most email service providers require to reset your password is to answer a few simple security questions. There are usually the same set of questions to choose from and in many cases, the answers will be either common knowledge or something that can easily be found out.
For example, “What was your high school mascot?”. All someone has to do is look at your social media and they’ll probably be able to figure out where you went to high school. Then they’re just a few keystrokes away from tracking down your high school mascot. Whenever possible create your own security questions. They should be questions that require obscure answers.
If you aren’t able to make up your own question, then make up your answers. If your high school mascot was a falcon, then say it was a bulldog or a ram – anything but the truth. It will make it extremely difficult for someone else to answer all your security question correctly and allow them to reset your password.
Set Up 2-Factor Authentication
Many email service providers, as well as other online platforms such as banking or credit card websites, are offering the option of setting up 2-factor authentication. If they do, definitely set it up. 2-factor authentication requires additional information beyond your username and password. It is usually a code sent directly to your cellphone which you must also enter when signing in. with this type of authentication, even if someone does figure out your password, they still won’t be able to sign in.
Encrypt Your Emails
All of these tips will help improve your internet security as far as getting into your email account by figuring out or resetting your password, but what about all those copies on the various servers your emails travel through when sent? One of the best ways to further secure your emails is to encrypt them.
You can purchase software to do this or some email service providers provide an encryption function. All you have to do is Google “How do I encrypt my emails in Gmail?” or whichever provider you use and follow the instructions. Typically, encrypting email through your service provider will only work if the recipient is using the same provider. Otherwise, if you want to encrypt your emails, you will have to get additional software.
Professional Internet Security
These email safety tips may be sufficient for enhancing personal internet security. However, if you’ve had previous security issue or are a business that needs a higher level of security than it’s time to call in the IT professionals.
Whether you’re worried about your internet security, your computer isn’t performing properly, your network is slow, or you feel your business needs a little IT help, Bay Computing and Consulting has the knowledge and expertise to help you solve your issues in a quick and effective manner. Our highly trained staff has the knowledge and expertise to help you solve any computing issues in a quick and effective manner. To secure your personal or business data, contact us today.