Top 10 Tips for Email Security
1. Do not open email messages from unknown or unexpected sources; and especially don't open or download email attachments from sources you don't trust.
2. To avoid "phishing" scams. Never click to a link in an email pretending to be from a financial institution etc. If you need to check it, type the web site's address in your browser's address bar. Also note that if an email is asking you to enter your password or personal information it is most likely a phishing attempt.
3. Be aware of the legal implications of the messages you send. Avoid jokes or comments that are (or may look like) offensive (comments about race, gender, sexual orientation, age, nationality etc).
4. Be careful when sharing confidential or sensitive information regarding your company or your customers. Avoid sending personal information, passwords, SINs, credit card information etc. in an email.
5. Use strong passwords for your email account.
6. To minimize spam, don't use your work or main email address to sign up for things in web sites you don't completely trust; open a new email account at a free provider like gmail for this purpose. Also, never reply to spam messages.
7. Don't access your email from an insecure network (like free WiFi networks at coffee shops).
8. Choosing to view the email message in plain text over HTML (web page) reduces the risk of some attacks.
9. Understand the insecure nature of email communications. Be aware that unless encrypted, a message can potentially be read by anyone with access to the network. Note also that the sender's name can be easily forged by spammers and malicious agents. Be aware that a message that you send or receive can (and most likely will) be stored in several places.
10. Follow proper email etiquette. When sending messages to a list of people who don't know each other, use the blind copy (BCC) feature. Don't send unsolicited messages to unknown people.
