Email Security and Threats

We are going to talk about internet email security in this article. So be attentive and read more carefully because it is very important if you are a businessman, housewife or even a student. Internet email probably most widely used application on computers and networks. We use them in home. We use them in our businesses so very important for us.

We send and receive dozens of emails every day not like the older snail mail the actual paper letters because response time of email is very quick and now you can even receive your emails on your mobile like Blackberry or other professional mobile internet services.

Unfortunately email is a product which is using widely in world and almost all kind of people using this facility and with a wide usage it also has wide threats. Hackers attack on our computers and networks. Here we shall discus some of the email threats we can face.

1. Phishing

Phishing is essentially a scam where a fake email sends to an unsuspecting recipient. Email look like a genuine email from a reputable company or organization. Usually the victims of these emails are clients of banks and e-commerce website’s clients. Because they look like an email from a trusted organization so the client of that organization open and see it these emails normally have a link inside which refer you to another website which is same like your trusted website’s counterfeit and for example they require a logon from you and when you logon enter your user name and password and after that they give you some kind message like server is down try after some time but on the back end they secretly record your password and use it immediately to steal your money.

How I can save from Phishing?

Yes you can save yourself from phishing not with technology just with a little common sense. When you receive this kind of email and you open that email never click any link if they insist you to update your information.

Check sender email, because the sender email name showing you the name of your trusted organization but when you inspect it, it is not the email of your trusted organization.
If you still confuse on sender’s email. Simple call your trusted bank or other shopping site for confirmation of this email. Tell them date and everything about email and you will find your answer. If you found it bogus don’t safe it, just delete it and mark the email as spam.

2. Chain Emails/Hoaxes

Next threat is the chain email or hoaxes. Like someone email you that X person sad story and ask you to send this email to X number of people. Like campaign of anything on email that can take up valuable bandwidth, waste your time and can also forward malware or any virus. Sometimes these are feel good emails but you don’t know what is behind that and you can be a part of malware victim and also motivator for spread malware.

How can I protect from Chain emails and Hoaxes?

Off course you can save from chain emails, never be a part of chain email because once you all your email in chain email then you always receive chain emails. Some of chain email sender maintains emails record and you will in that record. Make your proper email spam setting. Keep you contacts up-to-date and that make your inbox happy. After that you only receive your contacts email and useful emails.

3. Virus/Malware threats

Virus/Malware attachment emails, yes 80% people open an email attachment to check what is inside because it is human nature and nature insist him to open the email and check what is inside may be some interesting inside and that give you collateral damage in 90% cases. It also can come from your trusted computer if it is infected.

How I can protect my computer from email virus/malware threats?

For this you have to make inflexible yourself for email check. Only open email with attachments from your trusted email and always scan your email even it is from your trusted computer or email. Update your email scanner in your antivirus. Always use antivirus which have an email scanner built-in. One thing in last “use email smartly”