Keeping your email security settings up to date is essential to protect your business from phishing attacks, which are attempts by cybercriminals to trick your staff into revealing sensitive information or installing malware. Rather than waiting for an incident to happen, it's best to review and update these settings regularly to stay ahead of evolving threats.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
Phishing can lead to serious consequences such as data breaches, financial loss, and damage to your business reputation. For example, if an employee clicks a malicious link, it might allow hackers to access customer data protected under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, potentially resulting in fines or enforcement action by the ICO. Additionally, downtime caused by malware infections can disrupt your operations and reduce staff productivity.
Regularly updating your email security settings helps reduce these risks by filtering out suspicious messages, enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA), and ensuring your domain is protected from spoofing. This also supports compliance with Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001 standards, which many UK businesses aim to meet as part of their security and audit readiness.
A typical scenario
Consider a UK SME with around 50 employees that recently experienced a phishing attempt where an employee received an email impersonating a supplier. Because their email security settings hadn't been reviewed for over a year, the malicious email bypassed filters and reached the inbox. Fortunately, the employee recognised the suspicious link and reported it. The IT provider then updated the email gateway rules, enabled SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to prevent spoofing, and rolled out staff training on recognising phishing. This proactive approach reduced the risk of future attacks and helped maintain customer trust.
Practical checklist for updating your email security
- Ask your IT provider: How often do you review and update email security settings? Do you implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to prevent spoofing?
- Check multi-factor authentication (MFA): Is MFA enabled for all email accounts, especially those with access to sensitive data?
- Review spam and phishing filters: Are your email filters configured to quarantine or block suspicious messages? How are false positives handled?
- Audit user access: Do you regularly review who has email access and remove accounts no longer in use?
- Update staff training: How often do you provide phishing awareness training and simulated phishing exercises?
- Monitor logs and alerts: Does your IT provider monitor email security logs for unusual activity and respond promptly?
- Backup email data: Are your emails backed up securely to allow recovery in case of compromise?
Regularly revisiting these areas helps ensure your email security remains effective against new phishing techniques and supports compliance with UK regulations and security best practices.
If you're unsure about your current email security posture or how to implement these measures, it's sensible to consult a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor. They can assess your setup, recommend improvements, and help you maintain a strong defence against phishing threats.