Email has become the most popular method to share information quickly efficiently and economically. It’s an instant alternative to traffic delays, post office delays, interruptions to fax machines and busy phone lines. But when it comes to sending confidential documents, the convenience of email conceals the dangers inherent to email. When your personal information goes off your server, there’s no way to determine what happens to it or who has access to it. Even if you encrypt your emails, which provides an extra layer to security, it might not be enough to protect you from the kind of man-in-the-middle attacks.
Customer documents typically contain sensitive information that could be used by cybercriminals for identity theft, or other illicit activities. Email servers are also susceptible to cyberattacks, which can result in the loss or theft of files.
It’s possible to exchange confidential documents securely via email if you follow some best practices and have a NDA in place. Limiting the number of identifiable items included in the message, using password-protected attachments and including a confidentiality disclaimer automatically in your signature are simple ways to improve security of emails.
Email providers like Gmail or Outlook offer encryption using S/MIME to provide a greater level of protection. This lets users sign digitally attachments and emails. This guarantees the integrity of the document, and also protects it from “man-in-the middle” attacks. This solution also requires a certificate that is verified to be installed on the computer of the recipient, which can add an additional layer of security.