Microsoft doubles down on email security
Email continues to play a central role in South African business communication, with 24% of local consumers still preferring emails over call centres and chat support in 2024. Unfortunately, that also makes it a primary target for cybercriminals.
In response to rising cyberthreats and phishing risks, and hot on the heels of recent changes by Google and Yahoo, Microsoft is stepping up its security game. The company has announced major enhancements to its email authentication requirements for large volume email senders, signalling a broader industry shift toward more secure, verified communication across the board.
Here’s a look at the upgrades to Microsoft email delivery and what they mean for your business communications.
SPF, DKIM and DMARC Explained
The core of Microsoft’s update comprises three essential protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. While they aren’t new technologies, Microsoft’s reliance on them reinforces just how vital they’ve become. But what do they mean?
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework) specifies which servers are allowed to send mail on behalf of your domain.
- DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) adds a cryptographic signature to each email to verify it hasn’t been tampered with when it arrives.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) builds on SPF and DKIM, giving domain owners visibility and control over unauthenticated messages.
Together, these protocols dramatically reduce the risk of spoofing and phishing: two of the most common email-based threats businesses face today.
Email Risk Reality Check
Protocols won’t help if you’re still sharing your email address
Microsoft’s focus on external protections is great news for business email users, but there’s another vulnerability that often flies under the radar: shared email accounts.
If your staff still share your mail accounts, they’re not alone. The practice is still surprisingly common in many small and mid-sized businesses, and it’s a major security weak spot.
- When multiple users access a single account, it often leads to simple, widely shared passwords which are an open invitation to hackers.
- With shared accounts, there’s no clear accountability. If something goes wrong, including compromised data and sensitive file leaks, tracking the source becomes difficult.
- Since shared accounts can be used by several people across devices and locations, they’re more susceptible to phishing attempts and misuse.
Discontinuing shared accounts should be priority number one for every business.
The next step is to assign individual accounts with strong passwords and multifactor authentication. These simple changes can make a big difference when it comes to preventing cyber incidents.
For businesses looking to take their security to the next level, cloud-based solutions are an ideal final step. Not only do they support modern authentication protocols, but they also offer robust, scalable storage that keeps your data safe and accessible both in the office and remotely.
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Email security is no longer optional. With Microsoft leading the charge, now’s the time to review your setup, tighten up internal practices, and upgrade to smarter tools like Acronis-powered Total Data Protection to secure your critical data, be it on-premises, in the cloud or a hybrid environment.
Click the button below to explore our cloud storage packages and start building a safer, more efficient digital workspace today.