Did you know that a single intercepted email could compromise your entire business?
Email interception is a growing cybersecurity threat that exposes sensitive information to unauthorised parties.
Understanding interception methods and implementing secure email practices, especially email encryption, is crucial to protect your communications.
"In my 40 years in digital security, I've seen how a single lapse in email security can have devastating consequences. Protecting your communications from interception is absolutely essential."
— Paul Holland, Founder, Beyond Encryption
Email interception threats often involve methods like man-in-the-middle attacks, phishing, and compromised accounts, exposing individuals and businesses to risks.
By implementing effective security measures like encryption and authentication, you can prevent email interception and protect your sensitive communications.
Email interception happens when unauthorised individuals gain access to email communications as they travel across networks, often without the sender's or recipient's knowledge.
This kind of breach allows threat actors to eavesdrop on private conversations and potentially modify email contents.
Interception can occur at various points along the email's journey, including within the sender's or recipient's email servers, during transit over the internet, or at any intermediate servers handling the email.
"Many people underestimate how easily emails can be intercepted during transmission. Understanding where vulnerabilities lie is the first step in securing your communications."
— Mike Wakefield, CTO, Beyond Encryption
Cybercriminals use various tactics to intercept emails:
Attackers position themselves between the sender and recipient to intercept or alter email content.
They can read, modify, or delete messages without detection.
Criminals can impersonate trusted sources to trick recipients into sharing sensitive data.
They may send emails that appear legitimate to obtain passwords or financial information.
Invisible tracking pixels can be used to monitor email opens and gather recipient data, compromising privacy.
These pixels allow malicious actors to collect information about when and where an email is read.
Email interception can pose serious risks.
Email is one of the most widely used communication tools. The problem is, it was never designed with security in mind. As more sensitive information gets shared by email, the risks associated with interception increase.
Applying the security measures above helps protect personal data, financial information, and keep compliance with regulations.
Attackers can modify financial details in intercepted emails, leading to fraudulent transactions.
This can result in monetary losses for individuals and businesses.
"We've seen companies suffer huge financial losses due to intercepted emails altering payment details. Implementing strong security measures isn't just about compliance—it's about protecting your bottom line."
— Adam Byford, CCO, Beyond Encryption
Exposing confidential data can result in legal and reputational harm, as we highlight in our analysis of breach reporting.
Organisations can face both financial penalties and loss of customer trust.
"In the financial services industry, secure communication isn't just about protecting data—it's about maintaining trust with your clients."
— Carole Howard, Head of Networks, Beyond Encryption
Intercepted data can enable cyber criminals to carry out unauthorised transactions and impersonate people.
Personal information can be used to commit fraud or any number of other malicious activities.
Using robust security measures can reduce the risks of interception.
Cybersecurity professionals often recommend strategies like:
Email encryption makes sure only the right recipient can access email content, making it unreadable to unauthorised parties.
This protects data during transmission and storage.
Implementing end-to-end encryption, like S/MIME or AES-256, can raise the security of both an email's body and attachments.
"End-to-end encryption is one of the most effective tools we have against email interception. It's becoming increasingly essential for both businesses and individuals."
— Mike Wakefield, CTO, Beyond Encryption
Encrypting attachments adds an extra layer of security.
It makes sure that even if an email is intercepted, the attachments stay protected.
Two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication makes it harder for attackers to gain access to emails even if a user's credentials are stolen.
It asks people to provide two forms of identification before accessing an account (e.g., a password and a code sent to their phone).
Manually verifying that financial or sensitive instructions come from a verified source can help to prevent phishing and spoofing attempts.
This should be done using an alternative method of communication (for example, over the phone or by SMS).
Organisations should keep email servers and clients updated with protocols like STARTTLS to secure messages in transit.
Regular updates can patch vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
Training users (or yourself) to recognise phishing emails and understand secure email practices can reduce the risk of interception.
Educated users are less likely to fall for social engineering attacks.
"User education is often overlooked but is critical in preventing email interception. An informed team is your first line of defence against threats."
— Emily Plummer, Marketing Director, Beyond Encryption
Sending email attachments without encryption leaves documents open to risk.
It's like writing your personal information on a postcard—anyone who handles it can read its contents.
For individuals and organisations dealing with sensitive information, encryption is an important part of a strong cybersecurity strategy.
When you encrypt email attachments, you scramble the information, making it unreadable to unauthorised parties.
This can really reduce the risk of email interception and help companies to comply with privacy laws and regulations.
Encrypting email attachments is important for keeping sensitive documents confidential.
Here's how to encrypt attachments in popular email clients:
To view the full instructions, read How to Encrypt Email Attachments.
Failing to secure email communications can lead to severe consequences:
According to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2023, 32% of UK businesses identified cyber attacks, emphasising the importance of robust email security.
Email interception is a real threat in our digital world.
But if you combine encryption and authentication with regular updates and training, you can reduce these risks and protect your communications.
Encrypting email attachments is especially important for safeguarding confidential documents.
Being proactive in your approach to email security and staying aware of the threats are so important to keeping important data safe.
Email interception occurs when unauthorised individuals access, modify, or delete emails during transmission or while stored on servers, often undetected.
Signs include unusual account activity, emails marked as read without your action, or unauthorised changes to settings—monitor these to spot issues early.
Risks include financial fraud, data breaches, identity theft, and reputational damage, as attackers can alter transactions or steal sensitive information.
Methods include man-in-the-middle attacks, phishing, and spy pixels, enabling attackers to gather data or disrupt communication discreetly.
Yes, unencrypted emails are vulnerable as they are transmitted in plain text, making encryption essential for protecting email content.
Spy pixels track when and where emails are read; disabling image loading and using tracking blockers can prevent this.
Yes, email interception poses risks like data loss, fraud, and operational disruptions, making strong security measures critical.
Changing your password helps, but you may need further steps, like enabling two-factor authentication, if malware or other access exists.
Email Interception, Guardian Digital, 2022
Data Security: An Analysis of ICO Findings, Beyond Encryption, 2023
Spy Pixels, Wikipedia, 2024
Are Your Emails Being Intercepted? Fight Email Fraud, Debra R Richardson, 2023
Email Modification Fraud, Legal Futures, 2017
Phishing, The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), 2024
Sabrina McClune, 26.11.24
Sam Kendall, 15.11.24