Protecting your company, your employees, customers, and your data is a prudent business for many different reasons. Having good data security policies and measures in place reassures your customers and workers, protects your brand image, and ensures that you are not overexposed to catastrophic data loss or even having to close shop.

It is always a good idea to have an incident response plan ready in case of a breach, but there are some basics that you need to have in place first. Here are the various experts you should employ or outsource to ensure email integrity and protect company and customer data.

Required experts and specialists for setting up and maintaining your email security

As security threats become more elaborate and complex, so does email security should rise up to meet the challenge. As the attack modes evolve and the attack surface grows, so do experts and professionals need to deepen their knowledge and specialize.

There are now specialists for the different aspects that make up a complete email security operation. It’s important to know these roles and areas of expertise to ensure that no holes remain in your security net and that you are not left unprotected.

1. Malware specialist 

You need someone who understands the different types of malware and can help protect your company from them. 

Someone with general cybersecurity knowledge is a good start, but you also need someone who is specifically familiar with malware and knows how to protect your company against it. 

Take a look at this page to discover areas where IT security professionals can bring expertise to your email and general cybersecurity efforts. 

2. DLP Specialist 

You need a data loss prevention (DLP), specialist, to set up systems that will monitor your company’s data and prevent it from being leaked. When looking for DLP expertise, make sure to ask the following questions: a) What data do you want to protect? b) How much data loss is acceptable? c) How quickly do you need to respond to a data breach?

3. Email security specialist

You need an email security specialist to protect your company’s emails from being hacked or spammed. These specialists can also help you set up filters to make sure the right people see the right emails.

4. Disaster recovery specialist 

You need a disaster recovery specialist to help you plan for and recover from data or email loss. Data loss via email is becoming more and more common, so it’s important to have a plan in place.

These specialists can help you back up your data, create recovery plans and test your backup and recovery systems.

5. Compliance officer 

You need a compliance officer to make sure your company is in compliance with all the relevant regulations governing data security. These can vary from country to country, so it’s important to have someone on staff who is familiar with local laws.

6. Information security specialist 

You need an information security specialist to set up firewalls and other security measures to protect your company’s data. They will also help you develop a security policy for your company.

These specialists can be very helpful in protecting your data and your business. Make sure you have the right people in place to keep your company safe. It is also important, however, to have the right combination of digital tools in place to secure company email. 

Tools and measures you’ll need for ensuring your organization’s email security

Here are some of the tools and measures that your business should have on hand to ensure email integrity and protect company and customer data.

1. A firewall

You need a firewall because it’s the first line of defense against attacks on your computer. It filters all the traffic coming into and out of your network so that only authorized traffic can get through.

Firewalls are one of the best ways to protect company email accounts, especially if you have people working in public spaces on public wifi. This is because a firewall blocks all traffic that isn’t authorized, including malware and hackers.

2. Antivirus software

You also need antivirus software to protect your computer from viruses and other malware. This software scans all your files for malicious code and destroys them before they can do any damage. Keep in mind that it is important to keep your antivirus software up-to-date, as new threats are released all the time.

Make sure that the antivirus you invest in has a strong email security component, as many viruses are spread through email.

3. Spam filter

You need a spam filter to protect your email from being hijacked by spammers. This software scans all your incoming emails for spam and blocks them before they can reach your inbox. Spam filters can save you a lot of time and hassle by keeping your inbox clean. When you create a Gmail account, you should always start by setting up good spam protocols. 

4. A data loss prevention (DLP) system

You need a DLP system to protect your company’s data from being leaked. This system monitors all the data moving in and out of your company and prevents any unauthorized access.

For example, if someone tries to send an email with confidential information outside the company, the DLP system will intercept it and prevent it from being sent. It is highly recommended by experts to have a DLP system in place to protect your data.

5. A disaster recovery plan

You also need a disaster recovery plan to help you recover from data or email loss. This plan outlines the steps you need to take to restore your data or email after a disaster.

A disaster recovery plan starts with creating a backup of all your data. This backup can be stored onsite or offsite, depending on your company’s needs. It is recommended that you store your backup offsite in case of a fire or other disaster.

Another part of your disaster recovery plan should be to create test data. This is dummy data that you can use to test your disaster recovery procedures. By testing your plan regularly, you can make sure that it will actually work when you need it.

Takeaway

In summation, protecting your company’s email system and data is about having the right combination of expertise and tools. 

These include antivirus software, a spam filter, a DLP system, a firewall, and a disaster recovery plan. Implementing these tools and employing the experts to manage them will help keep your data and email safe from attack.

The post Email security requirements for running secure company emails appeared first on WiseStamp.

1. Use a secure email service

If you are concerned about the security of your email account, you can use a secure email service. These email services encrypt all of your emails, making it difficult for anyone to read them without the proper authentication.

Secure email services are a great way to keep your emails private and secure.

2. Create a strong anti-spam policy

If you want to keep your email account safe from spam, you need to create a strong anti-spam policy. This means you should have a policy in place that requires all employees to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. You should also require employees to only open emails from known senders.

In addition, you should install anti-spam software on your computer and email server. This software will help to keep your email account safe from spam and malware.

3. Regularly back up your email

If you want to be prepared for the worst–and good email security practices dictate you should be–you should regularly back up your email. This means backing up all of your emails to a secure location. If your email account is hacked, you will be able to restore all of your emails using the backup.

Backing up your email is a great way to protect your data in case of an emergency. Ransomware works by holding data, including email accounts hostage, and then requiring payment to get access again. Often, however, the criminals either end up deleting the data anyways or there is some kind of error in the transfer, and data is lost anyway. 

4. Use a secure email client

If you are concerned about the security of your email account, you can use a secure email client. A secure email client encrypts all of your emails, making it difficult for anyone to read them without the proper authentication. Microsoft Office 365 encryption and basic outlook encryption are good options for securing your email. 

5. Regularly update your software

If you want to keep your email account safe, you need to regularly update your software. This means updating your anti-spam software, email client, and operating system.

Regularly updating your software is a great way to protect your computer from malware and other online threats.

6. Use a virtual private network (VPN)

If you are working remotely, you can protect your email account by using a VPN. A VPN creates a secure connection between your computer and the internet. This prevents anyone from eavesdropping on your conversations or reading your emails.

VPNs are a great way to keep your email account safe when working remotely. You can also consider using a residential proxy, which is a residential IP that is leased or bought directly from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for commercial use.

7. Use a strong password

Your first line of defense against email security threats is to use a strong password. This means your password should be at least 8 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. You can also ensure your password is less able to be cracked by using a password randomizer. This will create a password that is nearly impossible to remember but will be much more secure.

When working remotely, having strong passwords is of the utmost importance because if your account is hacked, the hacker could have access to all of your company’s confidential information.

8. Use a password manager

A second way to keep your email secure is to use a password manager. A password manager can help you create and store strong passwords for all of your online accounts. This will make it much more difficult for a hacker to gain access to your email account. This is especially helpful if you require access to multiple email accounts and have to constantly switch between them.

9.Enable two-factor authentication

Another way to protect your email account is to enable two-factor authentication. This security measure requires you to input a unique code in addition to your password in order to log in to your account. This code is typically sent to your phone via text or generated by an app.

Two-factor authentication is a great way to protect your account from hackers, especially if your password is easy to guess.

10. Educate your employees

The best way to keep your email account safe is to educate your employees. You should have a policy in place that requires all employees to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Employees should also be educated on the dangers of spam and phishing scams.

Educating your employees is the best way to keep your email account safe and secure. This is because employee negligence represents the largest cybersecurity threat. Not properly training and educating your employees in cyber security practices and behavior puts your business at imminent risk. 

Takeaway

In summation, there are a number of things you can do to keep your email account safe and secure. These include enabling two-factor authentication, using a secure email service, creating a strong anti-spam policy, and regularly updating your software. Keeping your email secure while managing a remote team and business is the foundation of good cybersecurity.

The post Remote business email security: 10 no-compromise IT deliverables appeared first on WiseStamp.

Source

The post Email security: what you need to know to protect your company appeared first on WiseStamp.

To

Subject

Make it yours

As mentioned above not all organizations or businesses is aware of this law enforcement. If your company doesn’t obey the government’s bill the chances of receiving a fine are high. A very serious fine of up to £1,000 for companies who don’t include the required information.

Email footers must comply company-wide

First, the bill is for everyone in the company, not only the sales and marketing team. The company as a whole must comply with the regulations. Every member of your team who sends an external email must include the relevant information in their email signature. See here how you can create a standardized company-wide email signature.

Information you need to include in your company email footer

• The company’s full name
• The company’s telephone number
• Country of registration within the UK, (England, Scotland, or Wales).
• Registered Company Address

“According to the Communications Act. This information is relevant for all companies that are registered as Private Limited Companies (LTD) Public Limited Companies (PLC) or Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP)”

How to guarantee compliance with UK law concerning email signatures

First, businesses should Enforce a policy that standardizes the company’s face with an email signature. Email signatures that contain all legally mandated information.

Second, having an email signature will help your business comply with the law. There are different types of platforms you can use to create your email signature.

Third, if you are familiar with HTML and have design skills you are ready to go! Make sure your email signature is set on automatic. In order, not to break the Regulations 2008 law. If you need help with your company email signature that complies with UK law, use this article to help you out.

To

Subject

Make it yours

Use the WiseStamp to easily set up company-wide compliant signatures

Using an email signature management tool like WiseStamp Signature Manager can help. Managers in the organization have the option to review daily emails. If you’re thinking this must be complex, it’s not. Not at all. Managers can control all company footers from a central dashboard. WiseStamp will help you comply with the current UK laws.

By setting a company-wide signature means that you can set up and control a standard company-wide signature.

In order to be safe, you should avoid future embarrassment by restricting employees who want to get creative with their email signatures.

To

Subject

Make it yours

Final thoughts

Don’t play around. Make sure that your company’s email signature complies with UK law. Turn your corporate e-mail signature into a marketing tool and prevent fines. Use it to promote your company’s social channels, a recent achievement, or shout about an exciting press release.

The post Email footers legal requirements in the UK (2024) appeared first on WiseStamp.

The number one threat facing businesses today isn’t viruses and hackers, but phishing attacks. This article will teach you how to detect and stop phishing emails, and prevent malicious actors from hurting your business.

Let me ask you this, how proactive and alert are you when it comes to phishing detection and prevention? How protected do you believe your business to be from cyberattacks?

Phishing attacks in numbers

• 65% of companies in the United States were successfully phished this year.
• 84% of all small to medium businesses (SMBs) were targeted by phishing attacks in this year
• 65% of SMBs have never even run a phishing email test before.
• 60% of small businesses fail to recover and eventually fail six months after any cyberattack or data breach.
• 86% of email attacks don’t even involve malware.
• 32% of all data breaches are because of phishing.
• $1.6 million is the projected cost of damage done by a phishing attack for a medium-sized company.

Read more about Email security

Experts agree that the situation will get worse before it gets better. The recent surge in phishing attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic is proof of that.

It’s easy to put up a startup these days, and most entrepreneurs don’t have the cash flow and the security awareness to defend their fledgling companies from attackers.

Who are the main targets of phishing attacks?

If the business belongs to the “appetizing” category for fraudsters, that includes the business categories below. then security measures must be implemented as a matter of priority.

• Companies using SaaS (33,5%)
• Financial companies (19.4%)
• Users of payment services (13.3%)
• Social networks (8.3%)
• E-commerce (6,2%)

Small businesses are being targeted most

There’s a misconception that small businesses are not targeted by cyberattacks as much as big businesses because large companies have more money and more valuable products.

In fact, the opposite is true. small businesses are the more attractive targets because most have limited resources and less experienced employees who know how to deal with an attack, making them sitting ducks. Hackers often use phishing attacks to exploit vulnerabilities in smaller companies with little to no resources for cybersecurity.

Phishing damages affects your business’s bottom line

Phishing affects your bottom line, there is no question about it. the question is how much damage should you expect to suffer? You have to answer this for you to assess the measures you need to take in order to defend against this nasty cybercrime.

If your security solution is sub-standard or non-existent, then you’ll surely fall prey to cybercrime and scams that can cause substantial losses. Viruses and trojans are the de facto faces of cybercrime; however, phishing scams are the real problem to watch out for.

Phishing is a lot scarier than regular malware because anyone can do it. Cybercriminals don’t need to write complicated code or use specialized tools to launch a phishing campaign, plus they’re easy to run and almost impossible to trace.

Most businesses rely on computers that run on Windows, which historically made this operating system more targeted than other operating systems such as Linux or macOS. Windows is therefore perceived as especially susceptible to malware.

We advise you not to rely on the perceived security of any OS. Whichever your OS, make sure you are adequately protected and that you have not already been infected. As soon as you can, have all your employees check their PCs for infection and check their Macs for viruses and malware.

How does phishing work?

Phishing is a type of cybercrime where a target gets tricked into providing sensitive data such as banking details, credit card numbers, passwords, and personally identifiable information.

Criminals impersonate legitimate organizations and contact their targets either through phone, text message, email, or a combination of all three if they have enough of the victims’ details. The victims will then be duped into clicking a malicious link that then installs spyware, ransomware, or malware on their computers.

Other phishing tactics use fake websites or a document that visually resembles an authoritative resource. For example, it can be a page similar to your bank’s Internet banking, where you enter your profile data, payment, or personal information.

Your stolen information can be sold to a third party or used to access critical accounts that can lead to identity theft, account takeover, and consequential financial loss.

Sure, a quick email address search can tell you if the sender is legitimate, but not many people are aware of this security strategy, and you need every employee to be aware of it in order to defeat phishing emails.

What a phishing email typically looks like?

A perfect example of a phishing attack is getting an urgent email from a leading bank or credit card company, alerting you that there was a data breach and you need to secure your account, or it will get frozen.

The attackers are banking on the chance that you have an account with that particular bank or credit card company.

Receiving an urgent email can drive most people to panic, so they follow the instructions on the email and click the link or download the attachment, and that’s the beginning of the end.

Victims have no clue that they’re entering their credentials into a fake website controlled by the attacker or downloading malware into their computer.

Don’t use this please

Phishing attempts will typically take any of the following forms:

• Modified URLs: These are URLs that visually duplicate the name of the actual company URLs, but may miss one letter. Therefore, be careful and make sure that it is authentic before following the link.
• Fake phone calls or emails: Fraudsters can call or write on behalf of a company representative and demand the provision of personal information. Never share this information with anyone until you are sure you are not dealing with scammers;
• Malware embedded in an email or a link: This is one of the most common hacks. Do not follow dubious links and use only certified programs to avoid intruders’ tricks;
• Fake order pages. Scammers can fake the order page in the store and get your personal data;
• Suspension of PayPal accounts: This is the method through which criminals try to take over your accounts and use your money for their own purposes. Often they send letters from fake email boxes and try in every possible way to find out information about your accounts and other data that allow you to spend your money. If the letter seemed suspicious to you, do not reply to it and contact the real representatives of the company.

Measures for preventing phishing attacks on your business

The sooner you take the necessary precautions to protect your business from phishing attacks the better. If the following steps are still not in place in your business then you are most likely open to malicious attacks.

That said, phishing attacks are always involving bypassing protection best practices so your IT professionals or IT provider must stay up to date and constantly tighten and upgrade your security.

Let’s take a look at the phishing prevention you can and should apply in your business.

1. Phishing Email Detection

All employees in your business must know how to detect a phishing email. There are ways to dissect an email to check if it’s from a legitimate sender or not.

An email address search can trace the email back to its source, for instance, and if the domain is different from the name on the message, you can bet that it’s a phishing attempt.

Phishing emails don’t address the target by their name and can start with a generic greeting such as “Dear Valued Customer” – a telltale sign that the email is from a scammer.

Phishing emails also use fake or spoof domains that either mask the real domain or use one that reads like the original (Google, Mircosoft) to trick the target into thinking it’s legitimate.

2. Regular Employee Cybersecurity Training

Even if you’re aware that these threats exist online and know what to do when faced with a phishing attack, your employees may not.

Ensure that all your staff receives basic online safety and hygiene training to educate them on how to interact with ALL emails (don’t click on links or download attachments), regardless of origin.

You have to be strict about following security guidelines to the letter because one small mistake could mean a significant financial hit. It would also help if you could run regular cybersecurity drills dedicated to phishing attacks, so your staff would know what to do in any given situation.

Constantly reinforce people’s cybersecurity awareness:

One of the popular tactics is sextortion. It differs in that a person’s emotions are used to stimulate the sending of the ransom. For example, fear or panic. Cofense discovered a sector botnet. In June this year, it had 200 million email addresses. Soon, their number increased by 330 million. Therefore, it is important to build people’s awareness. If you want to protect your business, be sure to pay attention to informing and training employees.

No technology can replace knowledgeable employees:

A large medical company was targeted by a phishing attack. However, reports from people about receiving suspicious letters allowed the security center to react quickly. The attack was stopped in 19 minutes.

3. Keep Your Operating System and Software Updated

Some phishing attacks still use malware that relies on unpatched operating systems or outdated software.

Ensure that all company devices are running the latest versions of their respective OSs, and ALL software is patched and up to date. Media players, PDF viewers, and any video conferencing programs should be updated because hackers often exploit these.

4. Conduct a Password Audit

Conduct an office-wide password audit to check and weed out weak and redundant passwords.

Enforce proper password policies that include using a strong password for every account and not reusing them anywhere else. All an attacker would need is one password to break in, and cause damage.

Invest in a password manager and make sure everyone is using the robust password generated by the program or a mix of three to four random words in a string.

5. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication on All Accounts

Ensure that each online account has multi-factor authentication enabled by default to add an extra layer of security that attackers won’t be able to defeat without having the device with the authenticated code. You can use authentication apps that can run on a smartphone or a physical authentication device.

Don’t rely on HTTPS:

SSL no longer guarantees security. It is a protocol that is designed to provide a secure connection. Over the years, people have learned to distinguish between HTTP and HTTPS, going only to sites with the appropriate certificate. However, today the encryption protocol is also used by fraudsters. By the end of the year, 74% of phishing sites had TLS or SSL.

6. Isolate and Backup Critical Components

Your company’s infrastructure has critical components that not everyone needs to have access to.

Some segments don’t even need to be online. It would help to isolate the crucial elements in your infrastructure as much as you can, such as restricting access to some servers and keeping entire systems completely offline.

Having redundant backups will also help get your systems back in case of a ransomware attack.

7. Make the resource PCI compliant

It is important to be absolutely sure of this. This measure is not a complete guarantee of the site’s security, but it can stop a large number of fraudsters.

8. Create a secure connection

Use a VPN for work in public places and for remote work. This will help to prevent information leakage and protect you from the malicious intent of intruders. VPN is software that allows you to make IP dynamic. Thus, the use of the Internet becomes safe (I personally use this VPN service).

9. Install Web Application Firewall

It is a cloud service that sits between the site server and the data connection. Becomes the gateway through which incoming traffic passes. This allows WAF to track unwanted traffic and block hacking attempts.

Other threats to look out for

In addition to the more common phishing attacks, business sites must pay attention to protecting against other up-and-coming threats. The world of malware has a lot of threats within it, but the following 2 are especially worth noting. Since they are relatively new and most businesses are not aware of these threats, so they are not adequately protected.

1. Malicious bots

Malicious bots are a relatively new attack method. Such bots are self-propagating and are created to perform certain actions/tasks. They crawl (browse) the site first. In the process, security vulnerabilities are found. Then one of two things: the information is sent to the bot-master, or is used to perform a specific action.

Thus, the security of your site may be at risk. By resorting to such attacks, cybercriminals most often pursue commercial goals. They can steal your customer base and sell to competitors, or blackmail you for a lump sum in return for nondisclosure.

There are many such attacks and there is no single solution to prevent or resolve them. Therefore, it is advisable to have a separate technical specialist on staff who will be involved in protecting your site. In the event of an attack, he will be able to quickly respond to malicious activity and minimize the damage from this.

2. Attacks on websites and programs via MySQL injection

The essence of this attack is getting access to the database. Fraudsters detect loopholes in the back-end of the site or web applications and run malicious code. The latter is included in the request. After doing this, the fraudster gains not only access but also control over the target’s database.

Most often, penetration is carried out in one of three ways:

• Errors in the e-commerce website;
• Security vulnerabilities in user code;
• Bugs in third-party modules.

For reliable protection against this type of attack, you must carefully monitor the SQL server. This will help you to spot mistakes in time.

How Email became the biggest business security risk (infographic)

Conclusion

Having a modest organization doesn’t necessarily mean your attack surface is smaller or less appealing than that of a big company. Remember, phishing attacks can happen to anyone, and you can never assume that it won’t happen to you or anyone else in your organization.

The current pandemic that’s gripping the world right now has enabled countless scammers to ply their trade, and phishing attempts are up by a whopping 350% hitting both businesses and individuals with the same ferocity.

It would help to implement a proactive protection strategy that includes investing in cybersecurity & theft protection tools and employee security training on how to deal with phishing or other types of cyberattacks. 

Having active security measures in place can help prevent attacks and mitigate the risks of a breach. Spending a little more on security now can save your finances and reputation in the future.

The post How to detect and prevent phishing attacks (2024) appeared first on WiseStamp.

Still, there are some differences in focus, function, and extent of the protection a given free antivirus software provides you. Which then is the best free antivirus software for you? Read our reviews below to decide for yourself.

If you are a professional, an entrepreneur or if you have a small business, you may have delicate and valuable information on your computer that needs protecting. There are viruses, phishing attempts, trojans, and malware of all kinds. Protecting your data will avoid serious consequences and disruptions to your livelihood and peace of mind.

Thankfully, there are numerous anti malware programs to choose from. Even better, many of them offer a free version. To make it easy for you to consider your options, we’ve listed and reviewed the leading antivirus software for this year.

Our review of the top free antivirus software

Don’t worry about costs, there are many excellent options for free antivirus programs that we are going to discuss. It doesn’t matter if you are using Windows, Mac, or pc, here you will find the perfect one.

First, its important to identify your needs, ask yourself what type of software are you looking for? This will help narrow down your decision. We can safely say all of these are going to protect your system.

let’s go over what makes each option unique…

1. Bitdefender antivirus free edition

The regular free version of Bitdefender is one of the best antivirus programs with the free version you can effectively protect your computer. For some,the basic version is all they need. Using behavioral detection to monitor your active apps.

Key features

• Simple and easy to run
• Protects against malware, phishing, and fraud
• Runs automatically and quietly in the background
• Great for beginners
• Helpful support forums and FAQs
• Available for Windows, Mac, and Android

Disadvantages

• VIP tech support costs extra
• The installation takes longer than expected

New to antivirus programs and need something simple, then Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is an excellent choice.

2. AVG antivirus free

This free antivirus program provides an effective defense against malware and phishing. As a result the free verison of the sofware can perform scans whenever you want and it comes with many loaded features.

Key features

• Highly-effective protection against malware
• Provides a “Do Not Disturb” mode
• Conducts in-depth scans
• Offers real-time protection
• Actively scans for performance issues
• Available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone/iPad

Disadvantages

• It slows down your computer more than other antivirus programs
• Only email and phone support; no live chat

If you want an incredibly thorough scan AVG Antivirus Free is the optimal choice for you.

3. Kaspersky security cloud free

The free version of Kaspersky comes packed with a lot of features that have plenty of virus protection options. We love the interface and ability to schedule scans.

Key features

• Effective protection against malware
• Minimal impact on performance
• File shredder option
• Scans emails for threats
• Support forums and FAQs
• Ability to reverse ransomware
• Available for Windows, iOS, and Android

Disadvantages

• Password manager is limited in the free version
• VPN is limited in the free version

Kaspersky is a great comprehensive all-in-one suite protection software. If you are looking for an all-in-one free anti-virus software this is your best bet!

4. Microsoft windows defender

This anti-virus software protects data in real-time and comes with windows by default. This software is considered to be one of the best with its widespread antivirus protection and features.

Key features

• Excellent protection against malware
• Already included with Windows
• Parental controls
• Gaming mode
• Edge and Internet Explorer browser protection
• Barely noticeable effect on performance
• Ransomware reversal
• Scan scheduler
• Phone and email support anytime

Disadvantages

• Only available for Windows
• it has a lower protection score compared to other antivirus programs

Are you using a Windows operation system? It’s a great option if you can’t be bothered with downloading and installing anything.

5. Avira antivirus

Avira’s free antivirus software is very simple and easy to use. Even the most inexperienced PC users will have no problems with it. This antivirus offers an incredibly deep scan of your system.

Key features

• Incredibly high level of threat detection
• Protects against ransomware, viruses, trojans, keyloggers, worms, and other malware
• Sends potentially malicious files to the cloud
• Protects from, and removes, different kinds of spyware

Disadvantages

• Much slower compared with other free competitors
• The scan function will always scan all files over and over again.
• Only available on Windows

No malware is a match for this antivirus option. Cloud-based threat neutralization is the direction antivirus software is heading. You might as well go with one that already offers it.

6. 360 total security

The free version of 360 Total Security is quite comprehensive. It can monitor threats 24/7, giving you peace of mind. It has loads of additional features that make this software more appealing.

Key features

• Anti-ransomware tools
• Document protection feature
• Automatic backups of critical data
• Data shredder
• Scheduled system cleanups
• Internet protection
• Privacy protection

Disadvantages

• Only available for Windows 7 and 10
• Not as robust as other free versions

Users of the latest Windows operating systems have a great ally here. Round-the-clock monitoring ensures your system is always kept safe.

7. ZoneAlarm free antivirus

ZoneAlarm has been offering a free antivirus option for a long time. that aims to protect your computer against viruses, malware, spyware, and other cyber threats. In addition, you can get a firewall that protects against ID theft and data loss.

Key features

• Solid malware protection
• Cloud-based backup services
• Cloud-based encryption services
• Excellent firewall
• Credit monitoring tools
• Low system performance

Disadvantages

• Only available for Windows
• Low malware detection rate

ZoneAlarm offers a reliable cloud-based backup with encryption services. Plus free firewall.

8. Malwarebytes anti-malware free

Malwarebytes offers seldom-seen comprehensive protection in free antivirus. It is usually the go-to for tech support as a diagnostic tool. There is anti-malware and anti-exploit protection that works very well.

Key features

• Automatic scans
• Shields from ransomware attacks
• Stops vulnerabilities in apps and systems
• Prevents loading of malicious and fake websites
• Free extension for Chrome
• Available for Windows and Mac

Disadvantages

• it’s more of a remediation tool than a live defense measure
• Real-time protection is only in the paid versions

Do you want to use the tool that tech support uses, this is the one you will want to get.

9. Avast free antivirus

Avast is a long-time champion in terms of being the best free antivirus” program. It’s not just an anti-virus software, it has several built-in tools, like a secure browser, makes this an excellent choice.

Key features

• Excellent antivirus protection
• Network security scanner
• Password manager
• Avast Secure Browser
• Passive mode in case you run another antivirus programs
• Browser-independent protection
• Many more security features
• Available for Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac

Disadvantages

• Limited password management features
• Opting out of data sharing is difficult

Not just an antivirus program, it’s got a secure browser as well. This thwarts threats coming through the main door exploits come through.

10. Sophos home free

Businesses often use Sophos’ premium version, the free version works very well for home use. If you want enterprise-level protection, this is a great option.

Key features

• Manage protection using a remote online console
• Available for Windows, Android, iOS, and Mac
• Advanced network protection
• Server protection
• Enduser protection

Disadvantages

• Lacks in phishing protection
• Only three installations allowed per subscription

Big companies use Sophos, which means you can trust it. Enjoy peace-of-mind knowing you can control it remotely.

11. Total av free

This antivirus is used by over 25 million people. It has an easy-to-use interface and a robust malware scanner. The free version offers plenty of effective protection.

Key Features

• Minimal impact on system performance
• Available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
• Real-time protection
• Anti-phishing protection
• Solid system cleanup
• In-house VPN
• Monitors data breaches
• Identity theft monitoring

Disadvantages

• Password manager could be improved
• Ad blocker is not very effective

If you need all the power you can get, use this antivirus itt won’t bog down your system while you use it for your business.

12. Adaware antivirus free

This free antivirus installs very quickly. It can identify threats as they come and neutralize them, Adaware has come a long way since only scanning for adware.

Key features

• Minimal impact on system performance
• Can run in tandem with other antivirus software
• Silent mode limits distractions and resource-hogging
• Schedules scans are possible
• Protects against ransomware, spyware, and viruses

Disadvantages

• Some features are only unlocked in the premium version
• Does not have real-time email scanning

Protecting yourself against all sorts of malware is key to exploit prevention, that is what makes this option very appealing.

13. McAfee security scan

McAfee software specializes in malware protection and has been around for ages. The only factor is that it’s limited in features in comparison to the McAfee Total Protection.

Key features

• Uncover security vulnerabilities
• Schedule scans
• Quick scanning identifies threats within minutes
• Available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android

Disadvantages

• Very limited
• No cloud backup

The grandfather of antivirus programs delivers excellent protection, you may already even have it on your system.

Final Thoughts

• You now have 13 great options for the best free antivirus software. Every small business needs to protect its systems, they are essential for the operation of your business.
• There is no need to have custom software developed to protect your systems. A startup or small business can take advantage of these top options. We have found that any one of these will provide essential protection.
• There is only one main issue you need to consider is if you are using Windows or Mac for your business. There are several options for each system just need to search.
• You may want to put digital antivirus protection on your end-of-year checklist. You can’t afford to have any problems with the systems you rely on.

The post 13 best free antivirus software for windows (PC) appeared first on WiseStamp.

However, you can’t just start peaking into your employees’ emails. The practice of monitoring email must be implemented in a very transparent and sensitive way.

Here’s a guide to walk you through everything you should know about monitoring email within your small business.

Privacy limitations of a work email account

Let’s start by establishing that work e-mail is not private, therefore, it shouldn’t be used as one. Meaning employees shouldn’t use it to subscribe to newsletters and websites that aren’t relevant to their jobs, for online shopping, social media, etc.  If we’re talking about tracking private emails on work equipment, it’s a whole other thing. But let’s start by answering the question: “is email monitoring even legal?”

Is email monitoring legal?

Basically, it is. But the laws in your employee’s country might be different, so be sure to double-check the process with your attorneys. Each country has different regulations, and in some of them, you might only need to notify the employee about the monitoring. While others could require written consent for these activities.

In any case, there are three basic principles you should follow if you’re planning on monitoring your employee’s emails:

1. Transparency – Always notify your employees that you will be monitoring them. Set up a policy and share it with existing and new employees. This policy should include all details about the monitoring, such as: what is being monitored, how, who has access to the data, what will you use the data for, etc.
2. Legitimacy – Make sure you have a legitimate reason to monitor your employees. It is okay to keep your best interests in place, as long as they don’t go against employees’ fundamental rights.
3. Proportionality – Only collect the data you need to collect. Don’t go overboard with collecting every piece of data along the way. Collect what is relevant to your organization.

Make sure you understand that there is a big difference between monitoring your employees’ work email accounts versus monitoring your employees’ personal e-mail accounts that they access on company equipment. Generally, the latter is allowed if your employees sign a consent that everything they do on work computers is being monitored. But there are still lots of legal grey areas when it comes to employee privacy rights. 

Email monitoring best practices

There are laws and regulations you must follow when monitoring employee e-mails. However, there are also some ethical guidelines you should follow, which is why we created this brief list of best practices for employee e-mail monitoring.

1. Be mindful of the law – consult with lawyers to make sure you are acting according to all applicable laws and regulations.
2. Know the difference between monitoring and interception – In general, monitoring happens after the e-mail was already sent/received; while interception happens before e-mail reaches the receiver.
3. Create a written e-mail policy – Try including release forms into these policies. All employees must be notified of your monitoring practices, and you need to have proof that everyone was aware of them.
4. Limit access – Not everyone in your organization needs to have access to monitored e-mails. The information should be guarded and limited only to a few key people who have legitimate reasons to have access to such data.

Employees emails monitoring tools

There is software that tracks employee e-mails, but it is questionable to what extent you want to do it. Most e-mail clients with admin access will allow you (or your IT team) to check up on someone’s e-mails, and this should be enough.

However, if it isn’t, you can always go ahead and purchase an employee monitoring software that can take screenshots and measure time spent in various apps.

Conclusion

E-mail monitoring and employee monitoring, in general, aren’t bad things if used in an ethical way. Businesses need to balance their data needs with their employees’ rights. Never violate the fundamental rights of your employees because you want to have access to each piece of data that comes through your company. 

Maintaining transparency is crucial for preserving a good, respectful relationship with your team, keep that in mind before you introduce any policies or tools that might invade their privacy.

The post Employee email monitoring – when and how to do it (if at all) appeared first on WiseStamp.

If you own an email account (and we’re pretty sure you do!), chances are you’ve heard about GDPR. You may have seen it referenced in different websites you’ve visited. So what is GDPR? And what does a business need to do for GDPR compliance? This article will answer these questions.

The post What is GDPR & how to make your business compliant? appeared first on WiseStamp.