Email Security – A Big Challenge to Companies & Individuals

As per the latest report from Aberdeen Group, companies will face multiple dangers if they do not take necessary steps to protect their data, their systems, their brand and even users who are being attacked by individualized targets.

2008 Email Security Report by Aberdeen claims that e-mail is the prominent reason for data loss of companies. Outbound mail can be an obscene conduit for personal details, malware and spam, and denial of service attacks. Improper e-mails in a company may emerge as a threat to data security and regulatory compliance.

Moreover, the infected outbound mail and spam can deteriorate the company's reputation as well as negatively influence its value to the shareholders. Every company (whether large or small) faces major threats simply because they use mail.

Senior Research Analyst, Carol Baroudi of Aberdeen Group, state that the major area of problem is that many organizations are unaware that their systems are a part of botnet, a network of systems that can be controlled to send spam, become an active participant in denial of service attacks and even target infrastructure, as reported by earthtimes on September 29, 2008.

Carol also claims that millions of systems are attacked this way and the infection is very tough to detect. The research also points out that many companies understand the need to modify their mails security strategy and are attempting to access control over mail.

Also, the report throws light on the vulnerabilities that companies face and these can be divided into three groups. New harmful codes, inbound mail threats produced continuously and most of them operate together with dangerous sites in a blended attack. The research by Aberdeen shows that the mail is the second serious method for leakage or loss of data both intentionally or accidentally.

Further, a mail is a conduit for private information within companies. But there is a small hurdle that mail is one of the office productivity tools that seem to decrease efficiency rather than increasing it. The Aberdeen Group advises that as the mail exposes them to dangers resulting in high costs, companies should suggest some directions on how to use mail.

» SPAMfighter News - 06-10-2008

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