Want to learn what secure email protocols are – and how to use them?
Email security has never been more important. With email-based phishing attacks reaching 22.5% of all cybercrimes (linked to $70 million in losses) in 2024, it’s critical to understand how to keep your email communications protected.
The problem:
Most people don’t realize that emails can be intercepted, spoofed, and data breached. If not using proper protocols, you are essentially exposing your communications over open, unsecured lines.
The good news?
By understanding what secure email protocols are and how to implement them, you can significantly reduce your exposure.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- What Are Email Security Protocols?
- Why Secure Email Protocols Matter
- The 4x Essential Email Protocols You Need
- How to Implement Email Security Protocols
What Are Email Security Protocols?
Email security protocols are technical specifications that help keep email communications safe from unauthorized access and tampering.
Simply put, they are a series of standards that work behind the scenes to ensure your communications are only accessible to intended recipients and have not been modified in transit.
Using strong, reputable secure email accounts from a trusted email hosting service provider will ensure all of these protocols are in place for your communication channels. In this way, you can have enterprise-level email security without needing to understand all of the underlying technologies at work.
Here’s the kicker…
If the email security protocols are not enabled, then your email communication is vulnerable to interception and unauthorized access just like if you were sending an open postcard through the mail.
Why Secure Email Protocols Matter
Let me let you in on a little secret…
Email is the number one vector for delivering malware to end-user devices, accounting for 52% of all attacks. Even worse, 84.2% of all phishing attacks now pass rudimentary authentication tests.
This is why understanding and using the proper email security protocols matters. They act as a series of layers that:
- Authenticate sender identities to reduce spoofing
- Encrypt message contents during transmission
- Help to ensure only authorized parties can access your inbox
- Scan for and quarantine malicious attachments and links
Without secure email protocols, it is like putting a welcome mat out for hackers.
Research by IBM found that over 94% of organizations had experienced a phishing attack in the last year. Many of these attacks are likely successful because of insufficient email security.
The 4x Email Security Protocols You Need to Know
Now for the good stuff. Here are the core email security standards you should ensure are being used by any email system.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
SPF is a protocol used to help prevent email spoofing.
Here’s how it works: SPF enables the owner of a domain to publish which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain. The receiving mail server then checks to see if the sending server is included in the allowed list before accepting the email.
This prevents attackers from sending emails that appear to be from your domain. It’s a little bit like a verified guest list. If you are not on it, the bouncer doesn’t let you in.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM is a protocol that applies a digital signature to outgoing emails from a domain.
The signature helps the receiving server to ensure that the message has not been tampered with during transit. This is like a tamper-proof seal on a piece of candy. If someone modifies the contents, the seal is broken, and the recipient is notified.
The great thing about DKIM? The user doesn’t need to know it’s there. Your email service provider will handle this behind the scenes for you.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)
DMARC is a standard that builds upon SPF and DKIM to provide a stronger level of email security.
Here’s why it’s important: DMARC tells the receiving mail server what to do if an incoming email fails SPF or DKIM authentication checks. Should it be quarantined, rejected, or delivered anyway?
DMARC also allows reporting of these authentication failures, so you can monitor who is attempting to spoof your domain. Major email providers are also now enforcing DMARC policies, making it effectively mandatory.
TLS (Transport Layer Security)
TLS is a standard that encrypts emails as they travel between mail servers.
Without TLS, email messages travel across the internet as unencrypted plain text, making it possible for anyone intercepting the communication to read it. TLS encrypts the contents of your emails, making them unreadable to interceptors.
TLSe will all modern email services be turned on by default.
Choosing Email Hosting Services With Strong Security
It’s worth noting that not all email hosting services are equal when it comes to security.
Here are features to look for when choosing a provider:
- Built-in SPF, DKIM, and DMARC support (should be standard, not optional)
- Automatic TLS encryption (all transmission should be encrypted by default)
- Advanced threat protection (anti-spam, anti-phishing, malware scanning, etc.)
- Regular security updates (keep up with evolving threats)
The best providers make security as transparent and easy as possible. The user should not need a degree in computer science to keep their inbox secure.
How to Implement Email Security Protocols
Implementing these email security protocols is not as hard as you might think.
Start by choosing an email hosting service that supports all the security protocols we have mentioned above. Look for a provider that will automatically set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for you.
Most providers will walk you through the steps of setting up SPF and DKIM records. This generally involves adding a few DNS records to your domain settings. Don’t let the technical jargon scare you. Reputable providers will have you through it step by step.
Start with a monitoring-only DMARC policy to help see what’s happening with your domain. Once you are comfortable, you can switch to a stricter policy which rejects or quarantines failed authentication attempts.
Ensure that TLS encryption is enabled for all email transmission. This should be the default on all modern email services.
Security is not a one-time setup process. Review DMARC reports on a regular basis and stay informed about new and emerging threats.
Additional Security Best Practices
In addition to the email security protocols covered above, there are a few other simple steps you can take to enhance your overall email security.
- Use strong, unique passwords. Never reuse passwords across multiple services.
- Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible for an additional layer of security.
- Be cautious with links and attachments, and don’t click on suspicious content (user awareness matters).
- Keep all software up-to-date with regular security updates (patching vulnerabilities).
Remember, according to a report by Fortra, 67% of IT leaders say email does not get the security attention it deserves in organizations. Don’t let your organization be one of those statistics.
Wrapping Things Up
Email security protocols are not optional add-ons, they are a critical foundation for keeping your digital communication safe.
By using SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and TLS together, you can establish a series of layers of defense that will go a long way to minimizing your risks for email-based attacks. If combined with a reputable email hosting service, you can then enjoy enterprise-grade security without any of the complexity.
The key is to not wait for a breach to happen. Act now.
Fortunately, most reputable email hosting services make the implementation of email security protocols relatively easy for the user, handling all of the technical details for you so you can get back to focusing on your business. The time and money invested in getting email security right will pay massive dividends in protecting your reputation, data, and peace of mind.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash