08/ 01/ 2004
by Karen J. Bannan
Risk: Using a free e-mail account as your main business address.
Why you should care: A free e-mail account can end up costing you, according to Maurene Caplan Grey, research director with Gartner Inc. Free e-mail isn’t secure or controllable, she says. If a server goes down, you’re left without electronic communications. In addition, storage space is usually limited.
Managing the risk: If you can’t set up your own e-mail server, consider an e-mail service provider, which can set up and manage e-mail accounts for less than $20 per month.
Risk: Employees who access personal e-mail accounts from work.
Why you should care: Employees can let dangerous viruses onto your network even if you have virus protection installed on your network.
Managing the risk: Block free e-mail accounts such as Hotmail or Yahoo at your Web server.
Risk: Employees who send inappropriate e-mails to co-workers or other businesses.
Why you should care: It’s simple: Your company is liable if an employee creates a hostile workplace or threatens someone outside of the company.
Managing the risk: Create – and make employees sign – an electronic communications acceptable use policy. Also, consider using an e-mail filter, which can block messages containing lewd or offensive words.
Risk: Employees who use work e-mail addresses on public message boards.
Why you should care: The threat is twofold. Anything your employees write is automatically associated with your business; their reputation reflects your reputation. In addition, spammers often frequent message boards as a way to find new “live” e-mail accounts for targeted e-mail.
Managine the risk: Make sure employees know this behavior is off-limits via the acceptable use policy.
Risk: Losing e-mails that you’ll need for regulatory compliance or project tracking.
Why you should care: If you can’t prove someone said something – or didn’t – you can face fines, litigation or even jail time.
Managing the risk: Keep a virtual paper trail. Back up and store all messages sent or received via your mail server.
