Email Security: First Line Of Defence Against Data Theft, Fraud and Cyber Terrorism

Jun 22 2011

One of the biggest problems any business faces in maintaining the integrity of its IT systems is that of email security. There are a large number of ways malware can spread on a network of computers, and this can result in a great deal of problems for companies that do not have adequate protection in place.

Of course, as hackers and hoaxers think of increasingly elaborate methods to obtain your sensitive information, companies are developing software and strategies to ensure they do not succeed. For businesses, one such development helping reduce the threat of malware is Microsoft Exchange 2010.

In the past, many businesses have used Lotus Notes, or Microsoft Exchange 2003 or 2007 as their chief platform for end users, email and other IT services. While these platforms have proven to be beneficial to many businesses, they are now outdated and are an easy target for hackers, who have become adept at devising strategies to infiltrate these types of system.

The solution is to update your system to Exchange 2010, but herein lies a problem. Without making adequate and specialised provisions, such as a massive upgrade to IT systems can result in key services (including email) being out of action for a sustained period of time.

For most businesses, closing down networks (and therefore losing connection with customers and employees, as well as access to records and information) is simply not an option.

Fortunately, there is a way to get around this problem. There are many companies now offering cloud-based secure email and archive systems that allow businesses to maintain complete functionality while important software updates are completed. This means that an Exchange 2010 migration can be completed successfully with minimum disruption.

These cloud-based systems are a godsend for businesses looking to upgrade their email security. Not only do they offer a solution to the problem of maintaining a working business during an upgrade, but they offer outstanding levels of security for all email services, as well as security for any archived material.

Once your business has migrated successfully to Exchange 2010 you will discover the vast range of features, additions and improvements the new version of this software has to offer; however, there is a caveat in business that you should always prepare for the worst.

Certainly, migrating from an older system to Exchange 2010 is a massive upgrade, not just in terms of your email security, but also the integrity of your whole IT framework. Despite this, it is incumbent upon business owners to ensure that they retain good IT practice to ensure that should the worst happen, their business can still function. Part of this routine should be learning to backup Exchange 2010 and to do so at regular intervals as part of your overall IT security procedure.

Learning how to backup Exchange is not a particularly daunting process. Microsoft offers simple software that allows almost every aspect of Exchange 2010 to be safely archived. Furthermore, you can continue to use cloud-based IT provision to provide another level of security for your company. Ostensibly by archiving key back up files online, you ensure that even if your network goes down your files remain safe and accessible.

Hopefully such drastic action will be unnecessary, particularly if you continue to use cloud-based IT solutions, and the power of Microsoft Exchange 2010 as the first line of defence for your company’s email security.