subject: Simple Guidelines for Email Compliance [print this page] Simple Guidelines for Email Compliance Simple Guidelines for Email Compliance
Email is the prevailing form of communication within many organizations so it's crucial to set rules forhow it should be used. As some industries face stricter rules than others, the odds are quite high thatyour organization is subject to regulations on how to retain records. Regulations are something thatjust about any organization has to deal with. The real challenge, however, is to know which guidelinesto adhere to and keep up to date as they are constantly changing. To meet government regulationsand avoid the reality of non-compliance fines and penalties, email reviews are a necessity for manycompanies.
Many organizations have adopted the practice of reviewing emails for acceptable usage and policy enforcement. It is therefore necessary for email usage, security and communication polices to be airtight, easily understood and, most of all, enforceable. Below are a few simple guidelines for email compliance that will protect you from potential litigation and at the same time provide you with some user benefits.
Ensure that emails cannot be changed or deleted.
Encrypting and compressing emails will ensure that no alteration can be made. When retrieved fromthe compliance archive, a forensically sound copy can be produced in the email's original format. This is especially critical in legal situations, as emails need to be the original format and not one that could have been tampered with or edited in any way.
Set rules regarding email usage.
As email is the quintessential communications tool in an organization, it is important to define a clearand transparent framework for behavior, setting down what's acceptable and what isn't when it comesto using email. The ability to audit its use and enforce its rules is a simple first step in demonstrating the intention to meet regulations and goes a long way toward avoiding liability.
Ensure that the whole email compliance process is audit-able.
In the email compliance email archiving solutions archive, it is necessary to maintain log files and counts as evidential proof. Log files must establish that no emails can circumvent the capturing of all emails. In such cases, all emails can then be searched for, found and viewed in their original format together with attachments.
The user should not have the responsibility of archiving emails.
By automating the entire process of email archiving, the user is not burdened by the decision makingprocess of selecting the emails that are important. This way all archiving emails that have been sent orreceived either internally or externally, can be captured in their original format and archived in a securemanner.
Prevent data loss.
As the data held in systems contains valuable information, it must be guarded carefully againstdisclosure of confidential information within the organization. Most processes are covered by anAcceptable Use Policy (AUP), as the security of your data can be unintentionally threatened by newemployees or maliciously targeted by disgruntled employees.
Eradicate spam, phishing and malware.
It must be ensured that the email infrastructure is protected against malware, viruses, spyware andother threats to system and data integrity. A solution that can handle malware, spam, and denial ofservice attacks and harvesting of email addresses is required for this. External risk associated with dataloss can be eliminated by blocking threats at the perimeter all the way through to the internal mailservers and desktops.
Email compliance is increasingly critical to the way businesses operate. It need not be costly, butignoring email compliance now could result in expensive and time consuming costs in the future.
