Email is the most efficient and economical method to exchange information. It’s a fast and easy alternative to traffic jams, postal delays interruptions to fax machines, and busy phone lines. Email is convenient, however it could be risky when sharing confidential documents. Once your confidential information is deleted from your server you have no control over what happens to it or if anyone has access to it. Even if your email is encrypted, which provides an additional layer of protection however, it won’t protect your from the kinds of man in the middle attacks that can occur.
Cybercriminals can steal confidential information contained in customer documents to commit identity theft and other illegal activities. Cyberattacks on email servers may cause the loss or theft of files.
It’s possible to exchange confidential information securely through email if you follow some best practices and have an NDA in place. Security in email can be improved by limiting the number of identifiable elements in an email. Making sure your files are password-protected and adding a confidentiality disclaimer to your signature automatically are also simple steps.
Email providers like Gmail or Outlook provide S/MIME encryption to offer a greater level of protection. This allows users to digitally sign attachments and emails. This guarantees the integrity of the document, and protects it against “man-in-the middle” attacks. This solution also requires a valid certificate to be installed on the computer of the recipient which can provide an additional layer of security.