Email Security Best Practices: Trust-But-Verify to Prevent Losses

Email Security Best Practices: Trust-But-Verify to Prevent Losses

Emails that involve sensitive or financial information come with an inherent risk. A “trust-but-verify” policy acts as your failsafe, ensuring employees double-check high-stakes requests and preventing costly errors. This approach is especially vital in an era where business email compromise (BEC) attacks are on the rise, using impersonation tactics to exploit trust.

Steps for Trust-but-Verify in Action

  1. Verify All Financial Requests: Establish a policy that requires double-checking any financial request, no matter the amount. Even a seemingly small expense, like an invoice or payroll adjustment, must pass through a verification step. This process minimizes financial losses by ensuring multiple touchpoints for each request.
  2. Routine Security Training and Simulations: Schedule quarterly training sessions and simulate phishing tests that include scenarios of fake financial requests. When employees are regularly exposed to these simulations, it builds both knowledge and confidence, helping them identify risky requests and verify them correctly.
  3. Solid Policies and Escalation Procedures: Documenting clear policies for handling financial requests and setting up escalation procedures for high-risk situations creates a consistent, organized response. This prevents employees from making split-second decisions under pressure, allowing them to follow a step-by-step protocol.

Verification Like Locking Up at Night

Verification is like securing your building at night—you don’t just lock the doors and walk away; you check each door, secure the windows, and look for any unusual signs. A “trust-but-verify” policy operates the same way. By creating a checklist for sensitive requests, you ensure no financial transactions happen without a thorough review, reducing the chance of costly errors.

Conclusion

A trust-but-verify approach, supported by regular training, detailed policies, and a vigilant company culture, turns employees into stewards of company resources. Implementing these best practices builds a human firewall that proactively prevents major financial losses, secures company assets, and fortifies your organization’s reputation.

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Scott Wittstock

Scott Wittstock

For many businesses, complying with the GDPR’s specific data security and privacy requirements may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Our eBook Navigating the Data Privacy Labyrinth: A Guide to GDPR Compliance can simplify your compliance journey.GRAB YOUR FREE EBOOK HERE!