When it comes to protecting your business email from threats like spam, phishing, and malware, you might hear about two main approaches: spam filters and advanced scanning. Spam filters primarily block unwanted or suspicious emails based on known patterns, sender reputation, or keywords. Advanced scanning, on the other hand, uses deeper inspection techniques such as analysing email attachments, embedded links, and behaviour patterns to detect more sophisticated threats that basic filters might miss.
For UK small businesses and SMEs, email security is crucial because a single malicious email can lead to data breaches, ransomware infections, or loss of customer trust. Downtime caused by malware or phishing attacks can disrupt operations and affect staff productivity. Moreover, compliance with UK data protection standards like the Data Protection Act 2018 and Cyber Essentials requires reasonable technical measures to protect personal data, including email security.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
Consider a typical UK SME with around 50 employees that relies heavily on email for client communication and invoicing. If their email security only uses basic spam filtering, a cleverly disguised phishing email could bypass these filters and trick an employee into revealing login credentials or downloading malware. This could lead to unauthorised access to sensitive customer data or financial fraud. A managed IT provider implementing advanced scanning would detect suspicious links or attachments and quarantine the email before it reaches the user.
In this scenario, the IT partner might also help the business by setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA) on email accounts, monitoring logs for unusual activity, and ensuring regular backups are in place to recover quickly if an incident occurs. This layered approach reduces the risk of costly disruptions and helps demonstrate due diligence during audits or ICO enquiries.
Practical checklist for improving email security
- Ask your IT provider: Do you offer advanced email scanning that inspects attachments and links, beyond simple spam filtering?
- Check your current setup: Are spam filters regularly updated with threat intelligence feeds? Is there quarantine management with user notifications?
- Review policies: Are employees trained to recognise phishing attempts? Is MFA enabled on all email accounts?
- Audit access controls: Who has administrative rights on email systems? Are access logs reviewed for suspicious activity?
- Backup and recovery: Are emails and related data backed up securely and tested for restoration?
- Compliance readiness: Does your email security align with Cyber Essentials requirements and ICO guidance on data protection?
Choosing between spam filters and advanced scanning is not necessarily an either/or decision. Many effective email security solutions combine both approaches to provide layered protection. For UK SMEs, working with a trusted managed IT provider who understands your business risks and compliance needs can help you implement the right mix of tools and processes. This reduces the chance of costly email-borne attacks and supports ongoing operational resilience.