Most cyber attacks on small businesses start with an email. We filter out phishing and malware, check links when they are clicked, help stop emails going to the wrong person and make it harder for criminals to pretend to be you.
VIPRE Email Security scans incoming email for spam, phishing and malware and stops threats before they reach inboxes.
Links are checked when they are clicked, not just when the email arrives, catching websites that turn malicious after delivery.
With VIPRE Advanced Threat Protection, suspicious attachments and links are opened in a secure sandbox to see what they do before your team can.
SafeSend style prompts ask staff to confirm external recipients and attachments before sending, reducing the risk of a data breach by mistake.
A searchable archive of incoming, outgoing and internal email, useful for compliance, disputes and finding old messages.
Correct email authentication records make it harder for criminals to send email that appears to come from your domain.
Phishing emails trick people into entering passwords on fake login pages, opening infected attachments or paying fake invoices. They are cheap to send in huge numbers and they are getting harder to spot, with convincing branding and well written text.
Microsoft 365 includes basic filtering, but a dedicated email security layer adds deeper checking of links and attachments, better visibility of what is being blocked and extra tools to protect against mistakes.
We set up and manage email security for businesses across the North East as part of our cyber security services.
Email security works best alongside staff training, because no filter catches everything.
We check your current filtering, domain records and Microsoft 365 settings, and look at the kinds of threats reaching your inboxes.
We set up filtering, link and attachment protection and email authentication records, carefully so genuine email keeps flowing.
We watch what is being caught, release anything genuine, block new threats and tighten DMARC as confidence grows.
Email attacks on small businesses usually fall into a few types.
Business email compromise is particularly damaging because the emails often contain no malicious link or attachment at all. They are simply a convincing request, sometimes sent from a genuine account that has been hacked. That is why email security needs several layers.
We use VIPRE Email Security to filter incoming email before it reaches Microsoft 365 inboxes. It removes spam and known threats and flags suspicious messages.
VIPRE Advanced Threat Protection adds deeper checks. Links are rewritten so they are checked again at the moment someone clicks, catching websites that were harmless when the email arrived but turned malicious later. Suspicious attachments and links can be opened in a sandbox, a secure isolated environment, to see what they do before anyone in your business does. If a threat is identified after delivery, malicious emails can be removed from inboxes.
Not every email incident is an attack. Sending a spreadsheet of customer details to the wrong person, or autocomplete picking the wrong contact, can be a personal data breach under UK GDPR. Tools such as VIPRE SafeSend show a confirmation prompt before an email goes outside the business, highlighting external addresses and attachments so staff can check before it is too late. It is a simple step that can prevent embarrassing and costly mistakes.
An email archive keeps a copy of messages sent and received in a separate, searchable store. It is useful if you need to keep records for regulatory reasons, find an email someone has deleted, or respond to a dispute. Archiving is different from backup, and we will explain which you need. Our backup and recovery service covers Microsoft 365 backup.
These three settings are records added to your domain name that help receiving mail servers decide whether an email claiming to be from your business is genuine.
Getting these right makes it harder for criminals to impersonate your business to your customers and suppliers, and it helps your genuine email get delivered. Major email providers including Google and Yahoo now expect senders, particularly those sending in bulk, to have them in place. We set them up carefully, starting DMARC in monitoring mode and tightening it once we are sure every legitimate sender is covered.
Technology helps, but the best defence against payment fraud is a simple process. We recommend that any request to change bank details or make an urgent payment is checked by phoning the person on a number you already have, not one in the email. We can help you put clear procedures in place and include them in security awareness training for your team.
The emails that cause most problems for small businesses are rarely sophisticated. A fake shared document asking someone to sign in, an invoice that looks like it came from a regular supplier, or a message from the managing director asking for an urgent favour. Layered email security stops most of these, and a clear process for checking payment requests stops many of the rest.
Most of our clients use Microsoft 365. As well as adding VIPRE filtering, we review Microsoft 365 settings: making sure multi factor authentication is on, blocking automatic forwarding to outside addresses, which attackers often set up after taking over an account, and checking for suspicious sign ins. If you think an account has been compromised, call us on 0191 543 3432 straight away and we will help you secure it.
Real words from North East businesses we look after.
“Cyber Fits manages our servers and production workstations, ensuring the uptime of our services and equipment is always maintained. Their quick response to any issues or downtime is impressive, and they consistently resolve problems within our SLA. Security is paramount to us, and Cyber Fits provides us with state of the art cyber security software to protect our company.”
“Cyber Fits has been instrumental in looking after our computers and website. Their expertise and reliable service have kept our systems running smoothly, allowing us to focus on our core business. Whether it's regular maintenance or troubleshooting, Matt and his team are always there when we need them.”
“Cyber Fits has been a huge help in keeping our IT and phone systems running smoothly across the building. From day to day support to improving our connectivity, they're quick to respond and easy to work with. It's reassuring knowing we've got local engineers we can rely on.”
Microsoft 365 includes built in filtering, which is a good start. A dedicated email security service adds extra layers such as click time link checking, attachment sandboxing, better reporting and tools to prevent misdirected email.
Business email compromise is when criminals take over or impersonate a business email account and use it to request payments, change bank details or obtain sensitive information. The emails often contain no malware at all, which is why process checks and staff awareness matter.
Occasionally a genuine email may be held. We monitor quarantined messages, release anything legitimate and adjust the rules so it does not happen again. Staff can also be given a simple way to check and release held messages.
They are records added to your domain that help receiving email servers check whether an email claiming to be from you is genuine. Together they make it harder for criminals to impersonate your business and help your genuine email get delivered.
Do not click links or open attachments, and do not reply. Report it using the reporting button or forward it to us. If they have already clicked or entered a password, they should tell us straight away so we can secure the account.
Not quite. Archiving keeps a searchable record of email, often for compliance. Backup is about restoring data if it is lost, deleted or encrypted. Many businesses benefit from both, and we can advise on what you need.
Layered, practical protection for your devices, email, accounts and data, explained in plain English.
Find out moreShort staff training, simulated phishing tests and simple policies that make your team a strong line of defence.
Find out moreSetup, migration, licensing, security and day to day administration of Microsoft 365.
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