6 reasons not to Use your Corporate and Personal Emails Interchangeably

Almost 50 years old, the Email is one of the fundamental tools we rely on today. As every tool, it has appropriate and not so appropriate uses, especially in the context of cybersecurity. Let’s discuss its most important weaknesses and how we can overcome them. 

First, what are the weak sides of personal email when used for business. 

Before we list them, let us agree that in most cases our personal email is less secure than the one provided by our company. Usually, it is free and lacks many of the most important security measures such as inspection of suspicious email attachments, sender reputation check, or two–factor authentication. 

As a result, 

It may provide access to sensitive company information 

In many occasions, we may want to forward work-related content to our personal emails so that we can work on it later at home or just for reference purposes. In case our personal email suffers a breach (it has happened before), this sensitive company information may land in the wrong hands and potentially lead to fines (due to GDPR for example). 

Further, if your company has implemented strict security measures, 

The act of taking confidential information off the corporate network and services may be interpreted as data leakage 

Fines are just one of the potential consequences. 

Personal email may introduce threats to the workplace 

Simply because of its less effective security controls, personal email can miss malicious attachments or phishing attempts. As a result, you may end up opening a maliciously crafted Excel document, leading to the encryption of all information on your device and potentially your entire corporate network. 

Apart from the security concerns,  

The use of personal email for work purposes can make you lose credibility in the eyes of partners and clients 

Corporate email is one of the important elements, just like the company brand and website, that deliver the purpose of your company and its promise to the world, your clients and partners. 

Then, the weaknesses of corporate email when used as personal. 

Oftentimes, it is either easier or required to use your company email as personal. 

For example, we can organize an after-work meeting with colleagues or exchange photos from the recent team building over the company email. Or use it to open a LinkedIn account. If we switch jobs and lose access to the company email, 

You may lose access to your personal correspondence and potentially online services 

In the latter situation,  

assigning a company email to your social media accounts can make you an easier target of phishing attacks 

The reason is simple – this makes it easier for attackers to connect your personal with your business life and reveal more details about your preferences and personal weaknesses. 

Always use email for its intended purpose. Stay cybersafe.