Do you use email frequently in the workplace? If so, it is very likely that you sent an email to one or more recipients in the wrong way. This may seem like an innocent mistake , but if the wrong recipient has the possibility and ability, he could take certain measures to harm you personally, or worse, the organization where you work.
Work emails are considered a gold mine. The amount of high-value and sensitive information we deal with and manipulate on a daily basis is such that, with a simple chain, a cybercriminal can count on an entire organization in their hands. Let’s not even talk about whether the data contained in that chain implies very valuable assets such as employee payroll data.
It is hard for us to accept it, but the collaborator himself represents the main threat to his organization. Human error is much more harmful than we think. Disregard, haste, and even disinterest, all these factors influence us to make this small but big mistake: send an email to the wrong recipient.
More than 100 “wrong” emails per week
It’s a barbarity. The Tessian company has recently published a report indicating that in just one week, 130 or more wrong emails are sent. Unfortunately, several of those messages contain confidential corporate information, and recipients by mistake have access to them.
On the other hand, this error of sending emails to wrong recipients happens more than 200,000 times a year. Although the recipient by mistake corresponds to your organization, the high risk of data leakage or any type of attack remains. Especially because employees have management of the internal activities of their sector and between sectors as well. Although this report focuses on the inhabitants of the United Kingdom, it is a trend that applies to virtually all countries in the globe.
Is it possible to make mistakes so many times?
Of course. Human error (neglect, especially) can reach that point. But what if this results in my account being violated? This is also possible. Wrong recipients may appear in our address book without our noticing or without paying attention. They can be distinguished from authentic addresses by a letter, a number or a word of considerable length.
Pay close attention before sending any corporate email. If necessary, check address by address, you must do so. It may be that your email address is infected by some type of virus or malware. If so, we recommend communicating it to your support department to act immediately.
The exit door to data leaks
In the United Kingdom alone, still according to the Tessian report, 1357 data leaks have been reported. All these occurred following the emails sent by mistake. The increase in this type of event increased by 300%. Alarming, right? There is no better advice than to pay due attention before sending a message. An additional minute making a small review, makes a difference.