November 19th, 2008:

The threats to email security, believe it or not, have come as far as identity theft. In fact, one type of email security threat was especially conceptualized and developed to trick unsuspecting email recipients into revealing their private information to fraudulent individuals. This type of email security threat, which also doubles as identity theft, is called phishing.

How this email security threat works

The phishers, claiming to be representatives of reputable enterprises, send emails to unsuspecting users to request for personal information. The users then click on the link contained in the email and they are directed to a forged website where they are supposed to enter their private information such as user names, social security numbers, passwords, and credit and bank account details. Phishing becomes an email security threat when the phishers use the recently acquired information to illegally access the unsuspecting users’ private accounts. Phishers sometimes even go as far as stealing money from the users’ bank accounts.

Why this email security threat succeeds

Many users are easily scammed by this email security threat because every detail seems very legitimate. The websites where the links are directed to, for instance, are forged into perfection: the logos look authentic, the signatures appear to be authorized, and the information seems realistic. Even the URLs used in the forged websites are neatly altered. To make the URLs legitimate-looking, phishers alter the address bar by manipulating JavaScript commands. They either override the address bar with an image of a legitimate URL or replace the address bar with a new one.

Email security is very important. Having poor email security, in fact, increases your chances of being victimized by hackers who illegally intercept emails and access accounts. Here are two important email security tips to help maintain the privacy of your online messages.

Encrypt outgoing emails

Emails, whether they contain funny jokes or intimate secrets, have to remain personal. Like the notes you pass while in class, an email is only meant to be read by the recipient and not by a stranger who wants a piece of gossip. To protect your personal emails from the possible interception of a hacker, you should consider encrypting your emails. Email encryption is a form of email security that allows you to convert your private messages into cyphertext, therefore making them unreadable to hackers. Unless they are successfully decoded by a skilled hacker, your encrypted emails will safely reach the recipient.

Ignore chain letters

Another useful email security tip that you have to remember is to ignore chain letters. These inbox dwellers are the types of forwarded emails that supposedly “threaten negative outcomes” if you do not pass them on to ten or more people within a specified number of days. Although they appear to be simple pranks that always get the best of the superstitious lot, chain letters are also considered threats to email security. When you forward chain letters, for instance, your email address will be exposed to a larger number of people. Your email address, after all, will appear on all chain letters that are forwarded further by your recipients. Exposing your email address to people you do not know personally increases your vulnerability to email account hacking.