“E-mail attachments may not be as safe as you think” — comprehending the drawbacks of e-mail file transfers
Without a doubt, the e-mail is a crucial tool for our overall productivity. Still, when it is not properly handled, it may cause major issues, spanning from infected devices and system outages to catastrophic data breaches and high compliance penalties, among other things. It is estimated that the average loss resulting from a Business e-mail compromising events is $30,000.
Drawbacks of e-mail file transfers
The fact is that we are now dealing with basic architectural problems in technology that was developed decades ago and is still in widespread use today. Overall, several reasons emphasise why e-mail attachments are not the best option to send files:
1. Security concerns
Although e-mail attachments are a popular and simple method of transmitting documents, they are also a typical vector for malicious attacks. Increased security concerns, such as phishing events and data breaches connected to harmful e-mail attachments, are becoming more prevalent. Information security is critical for any company, and phishing is a severe concern in today’s world. Particularly for users that use e-mail to transmit private messages or sensitive information with external stakeholders, such as partnership contracts or due diligence, this may be exceedingly perilous.
Verizon Data Breach Report (DBIR) 2021 shows that phishing is implicated in 36 % of data breaches. It was discovered that malicious software had been installed and was being used in more than half (51 %) of the breaches. Furthermore, it was found that 66% of malware linked to data breaches or other incidents, such as ransomware, were installed via malicious e-mail attachments
To put it another way, if you lower the number of times harmful e-mail attachments are successfully sent, you will most likely decrease the number of malware infections. Reducing the number of malware installs might help to significantly reduce the number of data breaches.
2. File Sizes
When attempting to transmit huge files such as videos, pictures, reports, or any other large scale projects to others, the maximum file size restriction connected with e-mail attachments may also be a hindrance. Even if your file is inside the limit, the application may take a while to deliver your e-mail. This may prompt the program to collapse and your overall operations to slow down.
Since our recipients do not always have access to a high-speed Internet connection, a prolonged message loading procedure may be irritating. Furthermore, in many e-mails, a lengthy e-mail body may only be partly displayed, resulting in your receiver only seeing portions of photos or clipped text that was sent to them.
3. Lack of Traceability and Limited Control over Accessibility
According to IDC, approximately 2 million e-mails are sent every second of the day, with an estimated total of 333.2 billion e-mails being sent each day in 2022. A paramount issue with utilising e-mail to send documents is the lack of traceability, as well as the possibility of delivering confidential material to the incorrect individual. We frequently lose track of what we’ve sent and received, as well as sending files to recipients without first ensuring that they have the correct e-mail addresses in their possession. More than half (58 %) of employees, according to Tessian research, have admitted to sending an e-mail to the incorrect recipient.: mistakes can happen, but they almost always have repercussions.
As a result, a combination of reasons highlight the importance of data security when it comes to file sharing. Both individuals and organisations often underestimate the hidden risks including data loss, theft or exposure derived from insecure file-transfer behaviours. It has become increasingly critical for users to consider secure file transfer solutions to simply add protection to their important pieces and to avoid any vulnerabilities during file transits.
The key to trust and security in file transfer — C2 Transfer
With today’s enterprises being scrutinised and security standards being continuously examined, are e-mail platforms really safe enough to transmit important files? However, the good news is that cyber attacks and inadvertent leaks may be avoided by abstaining from sending sensitive data as e-mail attachments in the first place. Synology’s C2 Transfer successfully addresses all the drawbacks of e-mail transfers, and it may help you boost the productivity, organisation, and security of your file transmission operations.
You may use C2 to safeguard submitted material by using expiring links, download limitations, and watermarks. Secure file sharing does not have to be difficult. Simple procedures guarantee that any file you transmit using C2 Transfer is delivered to the intended recipient.
Sending a simple and secure link to anybody allows you to request and receive files from that person. The security of all information is ensured, and receivers are required to authenticate their identities before transferring files.
- Encryption
One of the most important features of C2 Transfer is the use of end-to-end encryption. This ensures that you retain complete control over your documents while also preventing unwanted access to or modification of information.
- Tackling Large File Sizes
C2 Transfer is suitable for anybody who needs to exchange a large number of files. Overall, the C2 Transfer service allows for up to 100 active transfers at the same time, with each transfer comprising a maximum of 20 GB in file size.
- Leveraging access restriction and file monitoring
Users have the option to build allow-list and block-lists and regulate access permissions to certain domains (for example, @gmail.com or @yahoo.com) or e-mail addresses. The user identity authentication function, on the other hand, allows for a verification procedure to take place between senders and recipients. To add additional control on the sender’s side, file monitoring allows senders to keep track of e-mail activities such as download and view times, last seen time, and edit link expiry and validity for management purposes.
Ultimately, C2 emerges as one of the best solutions that will enable anybody to share attachments in a secure and seamless manner. You can get started with C2 Transfer today with a 30-day free trial to start sharing files securly.
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