The first email was sent in 1971 with mass adoption following from the mid-1990s, particularly for businesses. Astonishingly, the UK alone sends around 8.32 billion emails every day. We send messages to clients, colleagues, and partners daily. With all this data flowing back and forth, it only takes a moment of carelessness to send confidential information to the wrong people, resulting in accidential data leaks.
The Risk of Email in Business
The average employee sends and receives over 100 emails a day. Many of these messages contain data, making email a prime target for security breaches. The primary risk with outgoing emails is accidentally sending personal information to the wrong recipient. This is particularly dangerous under the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), where mishandling personal data is classified as a breach.
Common Email Mistakes
Here are a few common ways this can happen:
- Accidentally selecting “Reply All” instead of replying to the original sender.
- Attaching the wrong files to an email.
- Typing errors when entering an email recipient’s address.
- Selecting the wrong contact from an address book due to similar names.
Knowing these common pitfalls can help prevent them and avoid damaging security and GDPR violations.
The Human Error Factor
The truth is that human error is the primary cause of most email-related security breaches. Whether it’s sending an email too quickly or not double-checking recipients and attachments, these mistakes happen when we’re not paying enough attention. While it’s impossible to eliminate human error, it is possible to reduce the risks by encouraging employees to slow down and review emails before sending them.
Real-World Consequences: Hastings Borough Council Angers Constituents
Blind carbon copy (BCC) errors are a major source of data breaches each year, often occurring when bulk emails are sent by mistake using carbon copy (CC). In 2023, Hastings Borough Council sent a bulk email to 357 constituents, accidentally revealing all recipients’ email addresses to each other. This incident underscores the risks associated with human error in email security. Frustrated constituents quickly voiced their anger to both the council and local press regarding the data breach.1
Steps to Reduce Email Data Leaks
Here are some actionable steps you can take to help reduce email security breaches:
- Double-check recipients: Always verify that you’re sending emails to the correct person.
- Review attachments: Make sure the right files are attached, especially if they contain personal or confidential data.
- Implement delayed sending: Many email platforms offer a delay feature, allowing you to cancel a message before it’s fully sent. This simple tool can give employees an extra moment to catch potential mistakes.
- Train your team: Awareness training, like our monthly security Awareness Training modules on email security and personal data handling, can help everyone make smarter decisions when managing sensitive information.
What to Do If You Send an Email to the Wrong Person
If you accidentally send an email to the wrong person, don’t panic. We recommend you visit the ICO website for more information and advice on ‘common data protection mistakes and how to fix them’. This advice will help you take the necessary steps to mitigate any potential damage.
Email is a powerful tool, but it carries risks. You can reduce the risk of email data leaks by recognising common mistakes when using email and taking simple precautions. Contact Modern Networks to help keep your data secure and communication safe.
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