Five Simple Ways to Strengthen Email Security
12 December 2025
Finance, hedge fund and insurance teams deal with a constant flow of email every day. Many of these messages contain sensitive data, client details or confidential documents. With that much information moving through inboxes, it only takes one risky click to cause a serious problem. Strengthening email security doesn’t have to involve major projects or extra software. A few steady habits can make a real difference.
1. Enable anti-phishing filters and review flagged emails each week
Most email platforms now include built-in phishing defences. Make sure these tools are switched on and set to the right level for your organisation. Set aside a short weekly review to look through flagged messages. It keeps your filters working properly and helps you spot new tactics used by attackers.
2. Help staff recognise spoofed sender addresses
Spoofed emails often look convincing at first glance, especially when criminals mimic banks, brokers or internal departments. Train staff to inspect sender details carefully rather than relying on display names. A quick look at the full address can reveal something off, such as an extra character or a strange domain.
3. Keep sensitive information out of email unless it’s encrypted
Email is convenient, but it’s not built for secure data exchange. If you need to send client data, financial reports or identity documents, use encrypted email or a secure file-sharing tool approved by your IT team. It adds a small step, but it protects you and your clients.
4. Use strong, unique passwords with MFA
Weak or reused passwords continue to be one of the biggest vulnerabilities. Encourage staff to use a password manager to generate unique passwords they don’t have to memorise. Add multi-factor authentication everywhere you can. It stops most account takeover attempts before they start.
5. Make reporting suspicious emails easy and expected
People notice unusual emails all the time but don’t always report them. Set a clear process and remind staff that alerts are welcome, even if it turns out to be nothing. It’s far better to ask than to click something malicious.
Small weekly habits like these help prevent the sort of breach that leads to downtime, financial loss or regulatory issues. Building a culture of caution doesn’t slow teams down. It simply ensures the information you handle every day stays protected.
