Securing email for staff working from home is essential to protect your business from cyber threats and data breaches. Email remains one of the most common ways hackers target businesses, especially when employees access their accounts outside the office network. Without proper safeguards, sensitive information can be exposed, leading to costly downtime, loss of customer trust, and non-compliance with UK data protection laws like the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
For a typical UK SME with 50 to 150 employees, many staff now work remotely at least part-time. If email accounts are compromised, attackers can send phishing emails to colleagues or clients, steal personal data, or introduce malware into your systems. This can interrupt business operations and trigger ICO investigations if personal data is involved. Ensuring secure email access reduces these risks, supports business continuity, and helps meet compliance requirements such as Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001.
A practical example
Consider a mid-sized consultancy with 80 staff, half working from home. They noticed an increase in suspicious emails and worried about potential breaches. Their IT partner implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all email accounts, enforced strong password policies, and ensured email encryption was enabled. They also provided staff training on recognising phishing attempts. As a result, the consultancy reduced successful phishing attacks and maintained smooth remote working without disruption.
Checklist: Securing your staff's email at home
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Confirm your email system requires MFA to add a second verification step beyond passwords.
- Strong password policies: Ensure passwords are complex, unique, and changed regularly; check if your IT provider enforces this.
- Email encryption: Ask if emails containing sensitive data are encrypted both in transit and at rest.
- Device security: Verify that devices used for email (laptops, tablets, phones) have up-to-date antivirus, firewalls, and security patches.
- Access controls: Review who has access to email accounts and remove access promptly when staff leave or change roles.
- Phishing awareness training: Provide regular training and simulated phishing tests to help staff spot suspicious emails.
- Backup and recovery: Check email data is backed up regularly and can be restored quickly if needed.
- Audit and monitoring: Ensure your IT provider monitors email logs for unusual activity and can respond to incidents promptly.
- Compliance checks: Confirm your email practices align with UK GDPR and Cyber Essentials requirements, especially regarding personal data handling.
What to discuss with your IT provider
When speaking to your current or prospective IT support, ask about their approach to securing remote email access. Key questions include:
- Do you enforce MFA on all email accounts?
- How do you manage password policies and resets?
- Is email encryption standard, and how is it implemented?
- What device security measures do you recommend or enforce?
- How do you monitor and respond to suspicious email activity?
- Can you provide evidence of compliance with Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001?
- What training do you offer to help staff recognise phishing?
Taking these steps will help protect your business from common email-related cyber risks and support compliance with UK data protection standards. If you're unsure about your current setup, it's sensible to consult a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor who understands the specific challenges faced by UK SMEs working remotely.