Demystifying Email Encryption: Stop Sender Fraud

With its recent prominence in the media and the heated controversy surrounding it, chances are you’re familiar with encryption -- but are you aware of the critical role it plays in securing business email accounts and protecting sensitive information?

Encryption is an essential element of any successful email security strategy or solution. It protects sensitive information shared via email such as financials, customer records and intellectual property, while preventing data loss. However, many business email security providers fail to implement email encryption to its fullest, leaving users at risk, and often giving a false sense of security. Moreover, a disappointing number of providers make email encryption inaccessible by requiring a complex setup and ongoing maintenance that many organizations lack the experience and time to implement properly. The good news is that effective email encryption does not need to be complicated, expensive or inconvenient. This article aims to demystify email encryption -- what it is, why it is crucial to businesses’ safety and success and how it is incorporated in a comprehensive, reputable business email security solution.

 What is email encryption and why is it so important?

Encryption refers to the process of encoding information, making it accessible to authorized parties only. It is a critical aspect of protecting data in transit via email. Email encryption involves encrypting email messages in order to ensure that the content can only be read by intended recipients, preventing data leaks and breaches.

Email authentication is an essential part of securing email messages with encryption, and can be implemented using SPF, DKIM and DMARC, three protocols that are highly effective in combating sender fraud. These standards were designed to supplement SMTP, the basic protocol used to send email, which does not include any authentication mechanisms. These protocols work together to detect forged messages and detect spoofing. These sender authentication protocols are highly effective in stopping sender fraud and securing email communications, and should be prioritized when evaluating a business email security solution.

Multi-Layered Email Encryption: Superior Security through a Defense-in-Depth Approach

When it comes to implementing SPF, DMARC and DKIM, a defense-in-depth approach is highly advantageous. While each one of these protocols is beneficial on its own, the three standards are most effective when used together, as part of a comprehensive, multi-tiered business cloud email security solution, and not all providers deliver on that.

 

Unlike many business email security providers, Guardian Digital implements email encryption to its fullest. Guardian Digital EnGarde Cloud Email Security uses SPF, DMARC and DKIM to build a secure tunnel between mail systems, providing complete end-to-end email protection. EnGarde’s modern open-source design features multiple layers of advanced encryption technologies working harmoniously to secure email communications and prevent sophisticated attacks such as spear phishing, ransomware, and business email compromise (BEC). While some solutions make email encryption complicated and difficult to implement, EnGarde can be seamlessly incorporated into organizations’ existing email infrastructure, providing simple yet highly effective business email protection and delivering a rapid return on investment. 

 

The Bottom Line

Email encryption is a vital part of any effective email security strategy. It protects sensitive data shared over email and prevents email-borne attacks. Businesses should prioritize implementing solid, multi-layered email authentication as a component of a well-designed, reputable cloud email security solution. Luckily, with Guardian Digital doing so can be easy, convenient and affordable!