{"id":842,"date":"2020-04-14T09:05:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-14T09:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/?p=842"},"modified":"2025-04-28T12:03:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T12:03:54","slug":"email-security-how-to-secure-email-communication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/email-security-how-to-secure-email-communication\/","title":{"rendered":"Email Security: 10 Steps for How to Secure Your Email Communication"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Email phishing increased 667% in March\n2020 \u2014 here are some best practices to improve email security within the\ncontext of using secure SMTP, IMAP, and POP3<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A look at the history of email tells us that this digital\nform of communication was initially designed with message deliverability in\nmind and not with a focus on email security. However, today\u2019s virtual mail,\nthough built on a protocol meant to handle only text-based communication (SMTP),\nhas evolved considerably to support other messages formats through service\nextensions (such as MIME). This is where having secure SMTP is crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the risk of email-based <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/10-different-types-of-cyber-attacks-how-they-work\/\" title=\"cyber attacks\">cyber attacks<\/a> has continued to grow over the years \u2014 with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.infosecurity-magazine.com\/news\/covid19-drive-phishing-emails-667\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">phishing attacks spiking more than 660% in March alone<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s easy to see why security features relying on SSL\/TLS, end-to-end encryption, etc. have been incorporated to enable secure SMTP communications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But with criminals getting smarter and more skilled in their\nattacks, how can you keep your personal and professional messages secure? Here\nare a few email security pointers that can help us to stay protected: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10 Email Security Tips to Secure Messages Sent\nvia Mail Transfer Protocols<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, we\u2019ll explore 10 practical checks you can use to achieve <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-secure-smtp-ssl-port-heres-what-to-know-about-smtp-security\/\">secure SMTP<\/a>, IMAP, and POP3 communications for your email accounts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Learn to Inspect Message Headers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your email message headers are usually hidden by default,\nbut you can Google ways to view the original message headers for your specific\nemail client. For example, if you\u2019re using the Outlook 365 email client: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Double-click on an email to open it in a new\nwindow.<\/li><li>Go to the <strong>File<\/strong> menu and select <strong>Properties<\/strong>.\n<\/li><li>In the Properties window, you\u2019ll see a field at\nthe bottom that contains email header information.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"621\" height=\"606\" src=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-inspect-email-headers.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-844 addshadow\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-inspect-email-headers.png 621w, https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-inspect-email-headers-300x293.png 300w, https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-inspect-email-headers-560x546.png 560w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 621px) 100vw, 621px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you can see the headers, look for the \u201cReceived From\u201d\nfield that tracks the route the message traveled across the net via servers to\nreach you. If you get a suspicious email, search for the sender\u2019s IP and do a\nreverse lookup to trace the message back to where it originated. You can also\ncheck if the message fails sender policy framework (SPF) and domain keys\nidentification mail (DKIM) checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though most mail programs have email security indications\nlike a red question mark for unauthenticated emails in Gmail, knowing how to examine\nemail headers is a useful skill to have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Avoid Clicking on Links or Downloading\nAttachments<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As most of us know, email security\u2019s biggest weakness often\nboils down to human error. This fact &nbsp;is\ncontinuously hammered into our brains by security experts and tech gurus.\nHowever, getting too curious to know what an attachment is, or being too\nabsentminded to notice that we\u2019ve accidentally clicked on a link are not\nimpossible scenarios. Even the best of us can fall prey to phishing attacks \u2014\nat least, the well-crafted ones. This is why, in addition to having spam\nfilters and antimalware installed, we must be careful not to open any\nattachments or click on links from unknown senders (or attackers pretending to\nbe Gary from the accounts department).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Update Your DMARC Records With the Domain\nRegistrar<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>DMARC, aside from running checks on the messages using SPF and DKIM standards, is the only method that informs a receiving server of the action it should take in the event that a message fails these tests. If you\u2019re a domain owner, besides configuring SPF and DKIM, <a href=\"https:\/\/dmarc.org\/wiki\/FAQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">consider setting up DMARC records<\/a> with your domain registrar. iIn case you\u2019re unsure about the process, they should be able to help you with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neither SPF nor DKIM can prevent attackers from forging the\n\u201cFrom\u201d address that you see displayed in your inbox. However, DMARC verifies\nthat the &#8220;from&#8221; matches the return-path checked by SPF and the domain\nname in the DKIM signature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Test Your SMTP Server <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, try sending test emails to see how it responds\nto genuine and spam messages alike by monitoring the SPF, DMARC records. If it\u2019s\npossible to tweak the SMTP configurations, change the default settings and\nupdate them with more secure alternatives (starting with changing default admin\nusernames and passwords). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Make Use of SMTP SSL\/TLS Ports <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SMTPS traditionally has used port 465 as a way to secure SMTP at the transport layer by running it over a TLS connection. When we refer to an <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/what-is-a-secure-smtp-ssl-port-heres-what-to-know-about-smtp-security\/\">SMTP SSL port<\/a> (or, more accurately, SMTP TLS port), that\u2019s exactly what we mean \u2014 it\u2019s a way to have a secure exchange of messages between the email client and the email server over SSL\/TLS channels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>TLS implementation can be done using two approaches \u2013\nopportunistic TLS or forced TLS. With opportunistic (explicit) TLS, we try to\nshift from the use of unencrypted SMTP to a secure TLS encrypted channel\nutilizing the STARTTLS SMTP command. If the attempt fails, the transmission\nresumes in plain text, meaning without the use of any encryption. However, with\nforced (implicit) TLS, the email client and server are either able to negotiate\nan encryption version they can both support, or the transmission stops and the\nemail communication doesn&#8217;t progress. You can make your choice depending on\nwhether you want maximum deliverability or maximum privacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iana.org\/\">Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)<\/a> had registered port 465 for SMTPS, though it was never published as an official SMTP channel by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ietf.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) (opens in a new tab)\">Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)<\/a>. A new service had been assigned to port 465 by the end of 1998. while 465 functioned as a secure SMTP port, port 25 continues to be used as the default port for SMTP relaying. ISPs and hosting providers have restricted the use of port 25 for SMTP connections (to send mails across the net), and most modern email clients don\u2019t use this port at all. Unless you\u2019re managing a mail server (a message transfer agent or an MTA), typically, you should see no traffic over this port.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Port 587, along with TLS encryption, should be used as the default secure SMTP port for message submission as recommended by IETF in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/tools.ietf.org\/html\/rfc6409\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">RFC 6409<\/a> that separates message submission (port 587) from message relay (port 25). Because many legacy systems continue using port 465 for SMTPS, you may still be able to find support for it from your ISP or hosting provider, but it is not recommended to use this port. Lastly, if port 587 is blocked, port 2525 though not officially recognized, is a commonly used alternative supported by most email service providers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. Deploy End-to-End Encryption for Maximum Email\nSecurity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-secure-email-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-848\" width=\"248\" height=\"201\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-secure-email-1.png 368w, https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/email-security-secure-email-1-300x243.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>With the note from the authors of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/tools.ietf.org\/html\/rfc5321\" target=\"_blank\">RFC 5321<\/a> in mind, a note that indicates that SMTP mail is inherently insecure, consider using end-to-end encryption standards like S\/MIME or PGP to encrypt messages on the sender\u2019s device, as well as during transmission. This ensures that even if the message falls into the hands of an attacker, all they see is garbled data that makes no sense. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An additional benefit of using an <a href=\"https:\/\/sectigostore.com\/id\/email-signing-certificate\">S\/MIME certificate<\/a> (or email signing certificate, as it\u2019s also known) is that it enables you to add a digital signature. This verifies the authenticity of the sender and validates message integrity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7. Use TLS With IMAP and POP3<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what\u2019s POP3 and IMAP? The internet access message protocol\n(IMAP) and post office protocol (POP3, indicating version 3) deal with\nretrieving the messages from the receiving server. These are the protocols used\nby email clients like Outlook when getting your emails from mail servers. While\nIMAP syncs messages across all of your devices, POP3 downloads the message onto\na single machine so that it\u2019s available offline before deleting it from the\nserver. Encrypted POP3 connections use port 995 (also known as POP3S), and\nIMAPS uses port 993. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8. Maintain IP Blacklists to Block Targeted\nSpams<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re frequently the target of junk and spam messages\nfrom IP addresses that share unsolicited marketing and sales pitches, it makes\nsense to block them on your email server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, you can use DNS blacklists (e.g., DNSBL,\nSpamhaus, etc.) or spam URI real-time block lists (e.g., SURBL, URIBL, etc.). A\nquick Google search will show you a bunch of available options, but be careful utilizing\nthese kinds of tools \u2014 they\u2019re not free of controversies and may inadvertently\nblock some legitimate emails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9. Use Restrictive Mail Relay Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t want to be an open relay because any spammer from\nanywhere in the world can use your server and resources for spamming others.\nThe mail relay parameter specifies for which domains or IPs your server can\nforward mail. Configure these options with the utmost care if you wish to avoid\ngetting on a blacklist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10. Other Considerations<\/strong> to Improve Email Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some additional email security considerations that may come\nin handy include but are not limited to the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Limit the number of connections to your SMTP server.<\/strong> You can do this based upon usage and server hardware specifications as these checks can prevent denial of service stacks. <\/li><li><strong>Define a failover configuration for MX records<\/strong>. Whenever possible, have a failover configuration when listing MX records to improve availability. <\/li><li><strong>Set up reverse DNS lookup to block IPs when authentication fails<\/strong>. Activate reverse DNS lookup that blocks emails if an IP mismatch occurs between the hostname and domain name of the sender. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Final Thoughts on Email Security<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With attackers taking advantage of the global health crisis, email security has emerged as a primary concern area. <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.barracuda.com\/2020\/03\/26\/threat-spotlight-coronavirus-related-phishing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Barracuda Networks<\/a> reports having detected 467,825 cases of spear-phishing attacks since the beginning of March. While the numbers are certainly alarming, the good news is that these numbers can plummet by properly training employees on simulated attack scenarios, especially at a time when most employees are telecommuting to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully, the above pointers on secure SMTP will come in\nhandy while configuring mail servers, or to exercise caution if you happen to\nreceive any suspicious emails.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Email phishing increased 667% in March 2020 \u2014 here are some best practices to improve email security within the context of using secure SMTP, IMAP, and POP3 A look at&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":845,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[55,56],"class_list":["post-842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-email-security","tag-email-security","tag-secure-smtp","post-with-tags"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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