When it comes to protecting your business emails, two common approaches are email filtering and email encryption. Email filtering focuses on blocking unwanted or harmful messages—like spam, phishing attempts, or malware—before they reach your inbox. Email encryption, on the other hand, scrambles the content of your emails so only the intended recipient can read them, protecting sensitive information from interception.
Why email security matters for Australian SMBs
For small and mid-sized businesses in Australia, email is a critical communication tool—both internally and with customers or suppliers. A security breach through email can lead to data loss, operational downtime, or damage to your reputation. For example, a phishing email that bypasses filters could trick an employee into revealing login credentials, leading to a costly cyber incident. Meanwhile, failing to encrypt sensitive emails might expose private customer data, risking privacy breaches and compliance issues under Australian data protection expectations.
A practical example
Consider a 50-person Australian accounting firm that regularly exchanges financial statements and personal client information via email. Without effective filtering, phishing emails might slip through and compromise staff accounts, causing disruption and data theft. Without encryption, sensitive attachments could be intercepted during transmission, exposing confidential client data. A trusted IT partner would implement robust filtering to reduce harmful emails and set up encryption protocols for sensitive communications, balancing security with ease of use for staff.
Checklist: What to consider for your email security
- Ask your IT provider: What email filtering technologies do you use? How often are threat definitions updated?
- Encryption options: Do you support automatic encryption for emails containing sensitive data? Is the process seamless for users?
- Policy review: Does your business have clear guidelines on what information must be encrypted when emailed?
- Testing: Can you simulate phishing attacks to assess how well filtering and staff awareness are working?
- Compliance: Are your email security measures aligned with Australian privacy standards relevant to your industry?
- Access control: Who can manage email security settings and monitor alerts within your organisation?
Balancing filtering and encryption
Filtering and encryption serve different but complementary roles. Filtering reduces the risk of harmful emails reaching your team, protecting productivity and reducing cyber risk. Encryption protects the confidentiality of your messages, especially when sending sensitive or regulated information. Ideally, your business should implement both, tailored to your specific communication needs and risk profile.
To move forward confidently, discuss your email security with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor who understands the challenges faced by Australian SMBs. They can help you assess your current risks, recommend appropriate filtering and encryption solutions, and support staff training to keep your business communications secure.