The Yahoo News story last week highlighted the importance of protecting against both outbound and inbound email security threats. Officials with Charlotte’s housing agency, Inlivian, accidentally emailed out personal information belonging to more than 100 people who have received help from the agency. Misdirected email remains a top concern for housing agencies as seen in similar incidences such as Watford Community Housing (WCH).

 Accidentally sending an email with confidential or personal information to the wrong recipient can have serious consequences for an organization’s privacy and security, as well as repercussions for data subjects if personal data is disclosed. The recipient of the email may use the information for fraudulent or malicious purposes, such as phishing attacks, or they may share it with others without consent. Additionally, if the information is sensitive, such as financial or medical information, it could be used to steal identities or access accounts. Misdirected emails often happen because people feel pressured, stressed, or tired and this leads to mistakes. With the average office worker receiving 121 emails per day, it’s not just those in stereotypically stressful jobs that can feel like this, as the pressure to respond to emails in a timely manner can create a sense of anxiety. Plus, people also tend to make more mistakes on smaller screens and when they’re on the go.

Email security threats can cause harm to an organization’s reputation, financial stability, and customer trust. But it is also important to remember that people and technology aren’t always a perfect mix. When using email, employees may make mistakes that lead to data loss. It is up to organizations to have proper security measures in place to prevent and protect against these types of threats. Intelligent email DLP helps protect businesses against data breaches by dynamically detecting misaddressed emails, incorrectly attached files, and malicious exfiltration.