Home > Empowering Tips > Smarter Way to Secure Email: A Prevention-First Approach

Email remains one of the most common attack vectors for cybercriminals, with phishing, malware, and business email compromise (BEC) scams costing businesses billions annually.

According to the Verizon’s report, 94% of malware is delivered via email. That staggering number makes one thing clear: a “prevention-first” mindset isn’t optional — it’s essential.

What Is a Prevention-First Approach?

A prevention-first approach to email security emphasizes stopping threats before they reach the inbox, rather than relying solely on detection and response after delivery. The goal is to reduce the attack surface and block malicious activity at the earliest stage.

Instead of waiting to see if a user clicks a phishing link, this strategy ensures the threat never lands in their inbox in the first place.

Why Prevention-First is Core to Email Security

The statistics paint a stark picture:

• Human Error is a Major Factor: According to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, human error (often linked to phishing or misconfiguration) remains a significant contributor to data breaches. A prevention-first strategy aims to reduce the likelihood of employees falling victim to these attacks.
• Ransomware and Business Email Compromise (BEC) are Surging: The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) reported a significant increase in phishing attacks in recent years, many of which are precursors to ransomware and BEC incidents. These types of attacks can lead to severe financial losses and reputational damage.
• The Cost of Remediation is High: Responding to a security incident, including forensic analysis, data recovery, legal fees, and reputational damage control, can be astronomically expensive. Preventing an attack in the first place is always more cost-effective.
• Reputational Damage is Lasting: A data breach can erode customer trust and damage a company’s brand, impacts that can linger for years.

The core idea behind prevention-first is simple: it’s better to prevent a fire than to put one out.

By implementing proactive measures, organizations significantly reduce their attack surface and the chances of a successful email-borne cyberattack.

Key Steps in a Prevention-First Email Security Strategy

Implementing a prevention-first email security strategy involves a multi-layered approach, encompassing technology, policy, and user education. By stopping threats before they reach inboxes, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of data loss, downtime, and financial damage.

1. Use Robust Email Filtering System

Your email provider should include a smart filtering system that inspects every message before it reaches your inbox. This first layer is essential in blocking known threats and reducing user exposure.

• Spam Filtering: Reduces the volume of unsolicited and potentially malicious emails.
• Malware and Antivirus Protection: Scans attachments and embedded links for known viruses, trojans, and ransomware.
• Suspicious Word Detection: Flags messages with suspicious keywords often used in phishing or scam campaigns (e.g., “urgent payment”, “verify account”).
• Dangerous Attachment Blocking: Automatically filter or rejects emails with high-risk attachments like .exe, .js, .vbs, or .scr files that are often used to deliver malware.
• SPF checks: Verifies whether the sending server is authorized to send on behalf of the domain, helping prevent spoofed or forged sender addresses.

2. Implement Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

These email authentication protocols help prevent email spoofing and ensure that legitimate emails are not flagged as spam.

• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Tells receiving mail servers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks, and provides reporting on email authentication failures.
• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature to outgoing emails, allowing the recipient’s server to verify that the email has not been tampered with in transit.

3. Employee Security Awareness Training

Even the most advanced filters can’t stop every threat — users must be prepared to recognize and report suspicious activity.

Training should include:

• Identifying Phishing and Spear-Phishing: Teach staff how to spot suspicious emails by looking at sender addresses, vague greetings, urgent requests, and unusual attachments or links.
• Understanding Social Engineering Tactics: Raise awareness about manipulation tactics attackers use, such as impersonation, intimidation, or urgency.
• Reporting Suspicious Emails: Establishing clear procedures for employees to report suspicious emails.
• Password Hygiene: Promote the use of strong, unique passwords and discourage password reuse across services.

4. Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA adds a second step to your login process, such as a one-time code sent to another trusted email address. This extra verification makes it harder for attackers to break in, even if they know your password.

Why it matters:

• Stops Most Account Takeovers: According to Microsoft, MFA prevents over 99% of automated attacks that rely on stolen passwords.
• Extra Layer of Protection: Even if a password is guessed or phished, access requires a code sent to another email address only you can access.
• Simple and User-Friendly: Most MFA features are easy to set up and use, even for non-technical users.
• Apply MFA to All Users: Ensure MFA is enforced for all email accounts, especially for administrators or anyone handling sensitive information like billing, HR, or customer data.

5. Regular Patching and Updates

Outdated software is one of the most common paths attackers use to gain access. Many email-related vulnerabilities are publicly documented and exploited within days (or even hours) after discovery.

• Keep Your Devices Updated: Regularly update the operating systems on computers, smartphones, and tablets used to access email.
• Update Browsers and Email Apps: Always run the latest version of web browsers and email clients to stay protected from known flaws.
• Check for Plugin Vulnerabilities: If you use third-party email tools or browser extensions, make sure they are trusted and regularly maintained.
•  Enable Automatic Updates: Wherever possible, turn on automatic updates to ensure your system receives the latest security patches without manual action.
• Be Wary of Legacy Systems: If your company is using old systems (e.g., unsupported Windows versions or outdated mail software), these pose high security risks and should be upgraded or isolated.

6. Routine Email Security Audits

Even with solid protections in place, regular reviews are essential to ensure everything is working as expected and no gaps have emerged.

• Review Login Activity: Periodically check your email account’s login history for unfamiliar locations or times.
• Inspect Spam/Junk Folders: Occasionally scan your spam folder for legitimate messages and report any that seem like phishing attempts.
• Check Account Recovery Settings: Make sure your backup email, phone number, and security questions are current and not easily guessable.
• Monitor Filter and Rule Settings: Review your inbox rules to ensure no unauthorized rules are forwarding or deleting your mail without your knowledge.

Final Thoughts

A prevention-first email security strategy doesn’t rely on users being perfect — it focuses on stopping threats before they get to your inbox. But when combined with simple user awareness and regular good habits, it becomes much harder for attackers to succeed.

By using secure technology, staying informed, and checking in regularly, users can do their part to keep their email — and their business — safe.