Marketing campaigns must emphasize email security. Email marketing has shown to be one of the most effective digital marketing methods. In comparison to other media, 80% of marketers think email offers the highest Return on Investment (ROI), according recent research. By 2025, there will likely be over 4 billion email users worldwide, indicating that digital purchasing is predicted to grow rapidly and remain popular for some time to come.

However, as email is being used more often, hackers find it to be a tempting attack channel. The 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report states that email was a factor in nearly one in three data breaches. Notable cyberattacks like as SolarWinds, which impacted more than 18,000 businesses, demonstrated the extent to which hacked email accounts may offer espionage and deep network access.

For marketers, an email security breech gives criminals the ability to propagate malware, trick customers with phishing schemes, and profit illegally off their reputation. This is why, among other things, cleansing email lists is crucial. These breaches may result in a number of different things, including delayed deliveries, long-term harm to one’s brand, legal repercussions, and a decline in consumer confidence. Marketers who prioritize strong security standards and secure email providers may continue to leverage email’s promise while safeguarding the interests of customers and brands.

The increasing complication of attacks via email

Cyber dangers nowadays are getting bigger and more complex. These specifics highlight the escalating risks to email security:

Phishing attempts surged by 220% during the epidemic, according to Google research, illustrating how security vulnerabilities deteriorate in emergency scenarios.
The FBI claims that since 2016, commercial email hack schemes have resulted in $43 billion in damages for firms, a sharp rise in losses.
Email was the main method of infection for ransomware assaults, which rose by 105% between 2020 and 2021, according to SonicWall.
Barracuda Networks, a security company, conducted research and found that more than one in five businesses have suffered email account takeovers that opened the door to more extensive network penetration.
84% of businesses, according to Agari study, think they are vulnerable to domain impersonation attacks, which let bogus emails seem to be a well-known brand.

These threat statistics highlight how urgently strong email security measures are required in the present high-risk environment.

A look at the main types of email threats

Here are some details about the most common security threats currently affecting email marketing:

Malware Infections

Viruses, ransomware, and spyware are examples of malware that frequently propagates via contaminated email attachments and links. Once within your network, malware can destroy files, compromise databases, and open backdoors for unrestricted access. Malware frequently gets around common email security measures by employing techniques like macro infestations in Office documents. The FBI believes that ransomware assaults alone cost businesses more than $49 million a year.

Business Email Compromise

Inadequate safeguarding of client information may result in security breaches that break GDPR regulations or undermine consumer confidence. Surveys show that less than 10% of firms presently fully comply with GDPR laws. Insecure data management makes mistakes like unintentionally transmitting unencrypted consumer information to uninvited parties conceivable.

Credential Stuffing

Using stolen usernames and passwords, a technique known as “credential stuffing” is used to gain access to accounts. Over 93 billion credential-stuffing attacks were reported by Akamai in 2021, demonstrating the problem’s explosive growth. With stolen email credentials, accounts in social media, cloud services, and banking can be taken. Damages that follow can include fraud and data theft.

Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks utilize spoof emails that seem like reliable sources to trick users into sending personal information or login credentials (deceptive digital activity). Techniques for obtaining information include the use of links, embedded forms, and malicious attachments. Phishing emails are the first step in 91% of intrusions, according to statistics from Cofense. Phishers may launch large, precisely focused attacks on their target audience by using hacked accounts.

To make your defenses against phishing efforts stronger, use a VPN. Perhaps you’re asking yourself, “Should I use a VPN?” By encrypting your internet connection and masking your IP address, a VPN may offer an extra layer of security to improve your security and make it harder for hackers to track your online activities.

Insecure Data Management

How to Get the Best Security for Emails

You need to do more than just the bare minimum to ensure total security in your email environment:

Find spear-phishing vulnerabilities and fix them before hackers take advantage of them by simulating external phishing attacks.
Employee security training will help you establish secure email handling practices to prevent phishing, authentication, data handling, and other issues.
Install email filters that scan every message that leaves your inbox for security holes, like sensitive data being leaked, objectionable material, or blocked senders.
To make sure that customer data handled through email marketing conforms with privacy laws and regulations, conduct compliance checks on a monthly basis.
Ensure that email lists are regularly cleaned by eliminating bounced addresses and offering a simple unsubscribe option. This increases distribution capability and guarantees current subscriber permission.
To minimize damage, create an incident response plan that prepares teams to quickly identify, assess, contain, and recover from an email-transmitted attack.

Conclusion

A strong defensive plan is necessary as marketers take advantage of email’s potential in the digital sphere due to the growing risks of phishing, malware, and credential stuffing. In addition to putting in place the necessary security measures, it is critical to cultivate a security culture, carry out frequent training, and adopt a proactive mindset. Marketers can manage the changing threat landscape, protect customer confidence, and guarantee the ongoing success of their email marketing initiatives by placing a high priority on comprehensive email security measures.