The Cost of Email Security

Loss of Data

When you use a public email, particularly as a business, you run the risk of your private data being compromised. Recent reports indicate that organizations have a 30% chance of experiencing a major data breach — with customer and employee information, documents and much more getting into the hands of criminals. According to research by Mimecast, 39% of companies that experienced an email-based breach suffered the loss of data. Such an incident not only creates significant business obstacles for a company but also can do permanent damage to its view in the public eye; Mimecast found 13% of organizations took a hit to their reputation because of the breach. If this can happen to a large organization, how easy do you think it is for it to happen to your personal email?

Loss of Personal Information

Individuals are also paying the price when they don’t consider the cost of email security. Just as a business can lose control over its troves of data, so too can private users. Though many users may not think they transmit sensitive information over email, a privacy intrusion can expose passwords, stored bank or credit card information and even personal conversations.

Loss of Finances

Many people fear that an email attack will result in direct financial losses — and they’re correct to have such worries. Mimecast found that nearly one-third of respondents who were victimized by email suffered financial losses. About 28% of businesses also lost customers because of the attack, and 26% had to terminate employees, both of which can contribute indirectly to financial losses.