Businesses rely heavily upon email communications. Everyday operations could soon grind to a halt without these efficient correspondences. While emails are one of the most effective ways to address numerous tasks, mistakes still occur. One potentially serious error comes in the form of a misdirected email. How might this situation arise? Why are the dangers more serious than you might realise?
An Innocent Mistake
There are many reasons why an email may be sent to the wrong party. Simple human oversight is a common cause. Take a look at these two fictional email addresses within the same organisation:
- packer@xyz.com
- packing@xyz.com
Everyday spelling errors can easily cause communication mistakes. Furthermore, the autocorrect feature associated with many email servers could mistakenly fill in the incorrect address; resulting in misdirected communications.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to detect these errors. Businesses dealing with heavy workloads may find this task even more challenging. The problem here is that even innocent mistakes can lead to grave consequences. Let’s take a look at some examples.
Practical Concerns
On an individual level, an email sent to the wrong individual or entity can be an oversight at best and (in most cases) embarrassing at worst. However, the potential consequences within the business world could be much more concerning. As employees often use an email server to send sensitive information between authorised parties (such as client payment details), any data that falls into the wrong hands could violate security protocols.
This is even more serious when we remember that GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) guidelines have become much more stringent. Even miscommunications resulting from human error can lead to grave consequences. This becomes even more concerning if an internal communication is sent to a third party not affiliated with the company.
Why Traditional Data Loss Protection is no Longer Enough
Most businesses follow a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy. However, these systems may become outdated when referring to internal communications. For instance, they may be unable to block specific domain names or to detect an error. This is when the power of machine learning comes into play.
Machine learning technology provides a “smarter” way to detect miscommunications. These systems analyse several elements within an email including:
- The intended recipient(s).
- If it is a portion of a larger chain.
- Whether or not the address is recognised.
- The contents.
- Any attachments.
Machine learning software will then determine if the message and its contents are appropriate for the recipient address. The automated nature of these systems will also require little outside intervention. This frees up valuable in-house administrative resources.
Businesses must keep on top of all internal email communications. This is the best way to detect and prevent any mistakes. Still, traditional techniques might no longer be sufficient. Cutting-edge software packages will provide a unique combination of security, oversight, and functionality.
