7 Emails You Should Never Open

Email is one of the primary cybersecurity threats to your business and in this post we describe 7 emails you should never open.

Email is the primary tool that companies like yours use for daily communications in the modern business world. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s effective, but it’s also the main source of malware and spam that could threaten your business. If you’re not careful, your email could be the key for cybercriminals that are trying to exploit you.

Emails You Should Never Open are an Ever-present Threat to Modern Businesses

Without up-to-date and varied IT security measures, successful email hacks can compromise your customers’ and employees’ sensitive data and harm your systems, resulting in costly downtime, and worse.

As cyber threats via email continue to evolve, it’s more important than ever to be vigilant about the emails you open. Managed network security services providers can help protect your business from cyber-attacks, but employees also play a critical role in reducing risks.

Here are seven types of emails you should never open:

Suspicious Attachments

Emails with attachments from unknown or suspicious sources can contain viruses or malware that can compromise your network. Unless you specifically know the sender of an email, never, ever open an attachment. That includes PDFs, zip files, music and video files and anything referencing an unpaid invoice or accounting file (many hackers use this to get people in accounting departments to open emails). Of course, any file can carry a virus, so better to delete it than be sorry.

A managed IT services provider can help identify and block these types of emails, but it’s important for employees to be cautious and avoid opening attachments from unknown sources.

Phishing Email

Phishing emails are designed to trick you into giving away sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card numbers. They often come from seemingly legitimate sources like financial institutions or e-commerce websites. To protect your business from phishing attacks, a managed network security services provider can help train employees to recognize and report suspicious emails.

Urgent Requests

Emails that create a sense of urgency or require immediate action can be a red flag and one of the emails you should never open. Cybercriminals often use urgency as a tactic to get people to act quickly without thinking. A managed network security services provider can help implement policies and procedures to reduce the risk of employees falling for these tricks.

Too Good to be True Emails You Should Never Open

Emails promising free gifts, lottery winnings, or other rewards that seem too good to be true are often scams. These emails can contain malware or links to fake websites that can compromise your network. A managed network security services provider can help implement filters to block these types of emails.

The Authority Email

One of the most common phishing emails are ones impersonating your bank, the IRS or some authority figure. The rule of thumb is this: any email that comes in where 1) you don’t personally know the sender, including emails from the IRS, Microsoft or your “bank,” and 2) asks you to “verify” your account should be deleted. Remember, ANY important notification will be sent via old-fashioned snail mail. If it’s important, they can call you.

The “Account Verification” Email

Any email that asks you to verify your password, bank information or login credentials, or to update your account information, should be ignored. No legitimate vendor sends emails asking for this; they will simply ask you upon logging in to update or verify your information if that’s necessary.

The Typo Email

Another big warning sign is typos. Emails coming from overseas (which is where most of these attacks come from) are written by people who do not speak or write English well. Therefore, if there are obvious typos or grammar mistakes, delete it.

Protecting your business against email cyber threats

Choosing the right managed network security services provider is critical to the success of your cybersecurity strategy. Here are some tips on what to look for:

Experience

Look for a provider with a proven track record of delivering comprehensive security solutions. Ask for references and case studies that demonstrate their expertise.

Reputation

Choose a provider with a solid reputation in the industry. Check online reviews and ratings to see what other customers are saying about their experience.

Technology

Make sure your provider uses the latest technology and tools to detect and prevent cyber threats. Ask about their approach to threat intelligence and how they stay up-to-date with the latest threats.

Customer Support

Choose a cybersecurity provider that offers 24/7 monitoring and support. Make sure they have a dedicated team of security experts who can quickly respond to any issues.  In addition to choosing the right provider, it’s important to have a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy in place. This should include regular employee training, regular software and hardware updates, and regular vulnerability assessments.