Who remembers when email was a new and exciting technology that the Intertubes brought us? Did AOL’s You’ve Got Mail! Make you giddy? They made a whole chick-flick about it starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I am pretty sure that thrill has worn off by now. According to marketing researchers, the Radicati Group predicts that by 2015 the average email user will send or receive 125 emails a day. Many of the emails are loaded with threats as I have pointed out here again and again. The ubiquity of email has caused some users to take email for granted and let their guard down.
Relaxed vigilance has led to some high-profile incidents where sensitive business information was exposed via email. Research indicates that at least 22% of companies have experienced an accidental or malicious leak of sensitive or confidential information by employees through email in the past 12 months. While it is may be bad for the firm, it could cost you your job. Here are some tips which will make your emails more effective and more secure:
Treat emails like business letters
It’s better to be more formal than too casual when you want to make a good impression. For example, use a person’s surname until they respond by signing their email with their first name. Never write anything in an email message that you wouldn’t want both your boss and your mom to read!
Company email is never private
If you want to 
send someone confidential or time-sensitive information, use the phone or meet in person. Emails can be duplicated, forwarded, and printed; anything unfortunate you write could come back to haunt you or your employer. Never use your employer’s email system to look for your new job. That move could cost your current job and the next one too.
Be cautious about the “reply all” feature
If you receive an email that was sent to a multitude of people, including yourself, reply only to those who need a response. Hit “reply all” only if it is crucial that every person on the distribution list see your response. In many cases, the sender is the only person who requires a response. Misuse of “reply all” is a key way in which sensitive business data slips outside the network.
Take care with email attachments
Never open attachments from unknown sources. And before sending attachments yourself, find out if the recipient wants them. Bogus attachments remain one of the most popular ways for cyber-attackers to gain a foothold in business networks, and it’s very easy for hackers to imitate legitimate email addresses.
This infographic includes some pretty amazing stats about email. Did you know?
- The average user creates 5,000 email attachments every year?
- There are 6 copies of each attachment made?
- The government reads over 250 million emails annually?
That is why email etiquette is important.
Related articles
- What Is Phishing? (allstate.com)
Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.