The Dangers of Email For Exchanging Confidential Documents

Email is the most efficient and cost-effective method to exchange information. It’s an excellent alternative to traffic jams and postal delays. It can also be used to avoid busy phone lines, fax machines, and interruptions in the fax machine. However, when it comes to exchanging confidential documents ease of email hides the dangers inherent to email. When your personal information leaves your server, there is no way to know the location it goes to or who has access to it. Even if your emails are encrypted, which provides an additional layer of security but it isn’t enough to protect you from the kind of man in the middle attacks that could occur.

Customer documents often include confidential information that can be used by cybercriminals to https://empirevdr.com/dangers-of-using-email-for-exchanging-confidential-documents/ commit identity theft or other illegal activities. Cyberattacks against email servers may cause the theft or loss of documents.

The good news is that with a few best practices and a favorable NDA, it’s possible to securely exchange confidential documents via email. Email security can be improved by restricting the number of identifiable items within an email. Utilizing password-protected files and adding a confidentiality disclaimer your signature automatically are easy steps.

Email providers like Gmail or Outlook offer encryption using S/MIME to provide a greater level of protection. This lets users sign digitally emails and attachments. This ensures the authenticity of the document, and also protects it from “man-in-the middle” attacks. This option also requires a certified certificate to be installed on the computer of the receiver that can provide an additional layer of security.