Foundation of Cybersecurity: Email Security Report Analysis

This report, focusing on the foundation of cybersecurity, examines the critical role of email security in protecting computer systems, hardware, software, and personal information from cyber threats. It highlights the increasing risks associated with email, including data breaches and hacking, emphasizing how attackers exploit email vulnerabilities through phishing and malicious links. The report identifies key factors contributing to these threats and proposes various security tools and techniques to mitigate them. These include using strong passwords, employing secure email services, implementing encryption technology, utilizing two-step verification processes, recognizing and avoiding phishing attempts, creating backup plans, and installing firewalls and antivirus software. The report concludes that adopting these measures is crucial for enhancing email security and reducing the risk of cybercrimes. The report also references several studies and research papers to support the findings.

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Foundation of cyber security

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Introduction
In the field of computer science, term cyber-security is defined as a process that
protects computer systems, hardware, software, and personal information from
hackers. Security of data is one of the critical and e-mail is very common communication
system which is used by attackers to enter into the consumer's servers. With the help of
encrypted e-mail, the information or data can be extracted and it is observed that more
than 50% of cyber-crimes occurred due to e-mail because it many consumers uses e-
mail services and hackers send fraud links to users. The aim of this report is to highlight
the key factors that increase the problem of data breach and hacking in e-mails and
security tools to improve the security of e-mails.
The current state of encrypted e-mail solutions
Yes, the information can be extracted from e-mail if the network traffic occurs in the
computer networks and it is the very common platform which is used by the criminals
to enter into the user's peripheral devices. A recent study evaluated that there are many
consumers which uses the third party applications and fraud links in their networks
which are developed by the attackers to hack their data. First hackers produce a large
amount of traffic signal with the help of malware and botnet process and transfer to the
consumer network which reduces the performance of their servers.1 Many hackers send
the unwanted links or message to the user by using e-mail and consumer click on that
mails which create uncertainty in the system and attackers collect their personal
information like login id and password. According to Lagazio Nazneen and Mike, the
lack of security is one of the common issues which increase the rate of cyber-crimes
because many users use only simple passwords that can be easily detected by the
attackers. in last five years, the rate of cyber-criminals and hacking has increased by
56% and many researchers provided their views on this issue and they analysed that
mainly, hackers enter into the computer system with the help of unauthentic servers
and they use e-mail for communication purpose.2 Therefore, the rate of cyber-crimes
1 Petri Puhakainen, and Siponen Mikko, ‘Improving employees' compliance through information
systems security training: an action research study’ (2010) 12 Mis Quarterly 757-778
2 Eirik Albrechtsen, and Hovden Jan, ‘Improving information security awareness and behaviour
through dialogue, participation and collective reflection. An intervention study.’ (2010) 29(4)
Computers & Security 432-445.

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can be reduced if consumers use only authentic servers and networks and researcher
also discussed that e-mails can be secured by adopting the encryption technology.
Recently, information technology developed numerous security tools and technique to
mitigate such kind of issues and improve the security of e-mails which are described
below:
Use strong password
It is a very common step which can be used to control and manage the risk of cyber-
attacks because most consumers use only simple passwords which can be detected by
the attackers.3 First hackers identify the password of their e-mail accounts by using a
botnet process that occurs due to the simple password. If they use the combination of
alphabetic, numeric and special character during generation of password then they can
improve the security of their personal data. Lagazio Nazneen and Mike observed that
use of strong password can reduce the problem of the data breach by 24% and people
should login their personal accounts in only authentic servers.
Use a secure email service
Secure socket layer is one of the best services which can be adopted by the consumers
to reduce the issue of cyber-crimes from the computer system. Such kind of service
identifies the key factors and traffic signals from the networks and provides a message
on the computer screen. A recent survey identified that many business industries use
this step to control and monitor their security.
Encryption technology
In the last three years the use of encryption technology has increased by 56% due to
their many advantages such as more accurate, more efficient, reduce hacking and cyber-
crimes and improve the security of data.4 People and companies can adopt this
approach to handle the security related issues in their servers and name provided their
views on this topic and identified that encryption technique converts information or
data into a form of code which cannot be accessed by hackers. So, people can use this
technology to avoid the problem of malware, DOS attack and ransom ware attack.
3 Jemal Abawajy, ‘User preference of cyber security awareness delivery methods.’ (2014) 33(3)
Behaviour & Information Technology 237-248.
4 Monica Lagazio, Sherif Nazneen, and Cushman Mike. ‘A multi-level approach to understanding the
impact of cybercrime on the financial sector.’ (2014) 45 Computers & Security 58-74.

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Use two step verification processes
Two-step verification is a kind of technology that provides a platform to mitigate the
issue of cyber-attacks and crimes and it sends a one-time password to user’s mobile
numbers.5 According to Tang when any user enables this process, any person
attempting to log in their account will require a particular code. Therefore, people can
use this step to monitor the performance of their networks and servers and they will
not provide their password to anyone. It also requires hackers to know user personal
account password and be physically putting their mobile devices to access their
accounts.
Recognize and avoid the phishing attempts
Phishing is defined as a security threat which occurs when any individual click on the
fraud mails or links and hackers send spam mails to consumers for detecting their
personal information. Tang evaluated that in the year 2013 the rate of phishing attack
has increased by 34% and it damaged more than a a thousand computers. If consumers
identify and block the unwanted mails then they can secure their personal information
files like bank details, messages and many more. According to Abawajy robust
technique is very common security tool which provides a way to identify the phishing
and reduce them.
Use backup plans
It is analysed that hackers can enter into the computer system through e-mails and
many largest business industries use cloud computing to back up their personal
information. People can make their accounts on cloud computing to back up the data
files like bank accounts, financial documents and personal pictures.
Use firewall and antivirus
Firewall is defined as security software which is used to control and manage the
unauthentic servers and traffic signals from the computer networks. Recent
investigation discussed that hackers first generate the traffic signals by using malicious
processes after that they transfer to user computer to block their servers. If they install
antivirus and firewall tools in their server’s r then they can reduce the problem of
5 Jenn Tang, ‘The implementation of Deming's system model to improve security management: A
case study.’ (2008) 25 International Journal of Management .1 54.

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hacking by 34%.6 Albrechtsen and Jan analysed the firewall software has the potential
to mitigate the issue of cyber-crimes (malware, DDOS attack and Wanna cry) and
enhance the security of networks.
Therefore, people and companies can adopt all these security tools to enhance the
security of their e-mails accounts and they can enable the encryption process during the
communication process. Information technology developed cryptography, encoding and
decoding, and many more to identify security threats and issues.
Conclusion
Cyber security refers to a technique that controls and monitor the security of personal
information, hardware, software and other physical devices from hackers. Many
companies are facing the problem pf cyber-crimes and hacking because their employees
use the unauthentic servers and click on the fraud mails which are designed by the
hackers. This report described the security tools and techniques to improve the security
of e-mail accounts and avoid a data breach and hacking related security threats. People
should ensure that they use only authentic networks during the communication process
and login their emails in only authentic servers which will help to reduce the rate of
cyber-crimes and attacks.
6 Nonhlanhla Ntuli, and Abu-Mahfouz Adnan. ‘A simple security architecture for the smart water
management system.' (2016): 83 Procedia Computer Science 1164-1169.

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References
Albrechtsen E and Jan H, ‘Improving information security awareness and behaviour
through dialogue, participation and collective reflection. An intervention study.’ (2010)
29(4) CS 432-445
Abawajy J, ‘User preference of cyber security awareness delivery methods.’
(2014) 33(3) BIT 237-248.
Tang J, ‘The implementation of Deming's system model to improve security
management: A case study.’ (2008) 25 IJM .1 54.
Lagazio M, Nazneen S, and Mike C. ‘A multi-level approach to understanding the impact
of cybercrime on the financial sector.’ (2014) 45 CS 58-74.
Ntuli N, and Adnan A. ‘A simple security architecture for the smart water management
system.' (2016): 83 PCS 1164-1169.
Puhakainen P, and Mikko S, ‘Improving employees' compliance through information
systems security training: an action research study’ (2010) 12 MQ 757-778