Savvy cyber criminals know emails contain a wealth of information that can be used to exploit your company and your customers. Nothing makes hackers happier than discovering that a company failed to encrypt emails or uses old software that doesn’t adequately protect data.
Although email encryption software offers a simple way to protect your sensitive data, products vary in their effectiveness and reliability. When you shop for encryption software, make sure the package you choose offers these features.
Protection for Internal and External Emails
Protecting inter-company emails is just as important as safeguarding external emails. Hackers can uncover all sorts of valuable information by reading the emails your employees send to one another. The best encryption software supports both internal and external emails.
Availability of Manual and Automatic Encryption
Do you want all emails to be automatically encrypted or would you prefer to choose which ones are encrypted? Look for programs that offer both manual and automatic settings if you want the flexibility to choose,
Ease of Use
If your email encryption program is too hard to use, your employees will find a simpler way to send emails. Unfortunately, they may choose to use personal email accounts on unsecured servers. Despite news stories about the dangers of these servers, employees persist in using them. In fact, 87 percent of senior managers surveyed by Stroz Friedberg reported that they uploaded work files to a personal email or cloud account. Ease of use is one of the most important considerations when evaluating encryption software.
No Email Change Required
Switching to a new email client can be a huge headache. No matter how often you remind customers of the change, some of them are bound to forget that your email address will no longer work in two weeks. Finding an encryption program that works with your existing email client will help you avoid communication breakdowns with clients and vendors.
Strength
Does the encryption software you’re considering buying use a 128-bit key or a 256-bit key? Although 128-bit keys are adequate, they don’t offer the robust protection provided by 256-bit keys. If you purchase a 128-bit package, you’ll probably need to update to a 256-bit key at some point in the future.
Compliance with Client Requirements
If your company serves the healthcare industry or another industry that has strict data privacy concerns, you’ll want to make sure that the encryption software you choose meets industry standards. In fact, you’ll want to check with your clients regarding the requirements before you shop for software.
Protection for Attachments
Documents attached to emails often contain very sensitive information. A strong encryption program will not only protect emails, but also encrypt attachments.
A Scalable Solution
You’ll waste a lot of money if you buy software that can’t grow along with your company. The best encryption software is fully scalable to meet your needs today and in the future.
Multi-Platform Protection
Do you need encryption software that works with Mac, Windows and Android operating systems? In addition to choosing multi-platform protection, make sure that the software is easy to use on mobile devices.
Choosing a strong, effective email encryption software package is one of the easiest ways to protect your company’s data and avoid security breaches that can lead to plummeting sales figures. Need a little help choosing software? We’ll evaluate your needs, make a few recommendations and explain how we can help you improve efficiency and minimize costs with custom-designed IT software solutions. Contact us today to get the process started.
