Never Use Business Email for Personal Messages

It may not seem like a big deal to use business email for personal messages, or vice versa. However, it turns out that a large majority of email security breaches happen on websites used for personal messages. 

So what is the danger in using a company email address for personal tasks? There are several reasons why one should think twice before entering that email address into a non work-related website.

What can go wrong?

Business email for personal use can cause a huge hole in email security.

Malicious parties try to steal credentials every day. If one enters their information into a hacked or malicious website, hackers could gain access to your work email credentials. The danger here is two fold. First, they can send phishing emails to your entire address book, posing as you. Far worse, people tend to reuse passwords. So, now a hacker has a legitimate password to try to gain access to even more sensitive information within your organization.

Business email for personal use can cause a huge hole in email security.

Do you really need a personal and work email address?

YES! It is crucial to keep work and personal email separate. Not only does a company or municipality email look more professional, using personal email for business affairs opens the company up to unnecessary risk. As mentioned above, if a hacker gains access to your email credentials, they can email everyone in your address book to collect a treasure trove of information posing as you. This includes personal and work contacts if you use only one email address. It’s also worth mentioning that some companies and municipalities have specific data retention rules. If your email is through a third-party provider, you could be in violation of these regulations.

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