Out-of-Office (OOO) emails have become ubiquitous in our work culture. Be it being on vacation or attending a conference, we rely on OOO emails to inform others. We notify our unavailability and provide alternative contact information to reach out. There are potential security risks associated with the use of OOO emails.
As a user, it is our responsibility to know the potential risks lying around the corner in all possible ways. It is vital for any organization to put in place the best practices. It is well-known that the “Human Element” plays a vital role in data breaches, be it accidental or otherwise.
So, users and organizations together could reduce the risks associated with OOO emails.
Potential Risks
Automated Response Disclosure
The primary concern with OOO emails is the potential disclosure of sensitive information. When an OOO response is set, it may reveal that a particular employee is absent. Thereby, alerting malicious actors that their accounts for a while might be idle. Such information may lead to social engineering attacks or targeted phishing attempts. Thus, increasing the organization’s vulnerability to cyber threats.
Email Harvesting
OOO emails often include alternative contact details or emergency points of contact. Along with the information available to the public, it could lead to email harvesting. Cybercriminals could put together these email addresses and leverage them. They could launch cyberattacks such as spear phishing, phishing, or distributing malware. Also, attempt identity theft and other social engineering attacks.
Misconfigured Auto-Responses
Misconfigured OOO auto-responses could pose a significant security risk. How so? Setting auto-responses to all incoming emails discloses sensitive information to even unknown recipients. It might open doors for breaches, and identity theft. It could compromise confidential information and damage the organization’s reputation.
Mitigating Such Risks
Be Mindful of Content
It is advisable to refrain from mentioning the duration and dates of your leave of absence. Instead, one may use generic language stating one’s unavailability without providing exact information. This reduces the risks of cybercriminals pinpointing the duration of one’s unavailability.
Restrict Automatic Responses
Configure OOO email settings to only respond to internal users and trusted senders. It helps with disclosing sensitive information to unknown or malicious actors. A user may also limit the number of auto-responses generated. Thus, avoiding an excessive number of emails sent to senders.
Review Contact Information
A user must think about whom (another user) to include in their OOO email. A user must refrain from sharing personal email IDs or mobile numbers in the response. OOO response may include a common point of contact or a team email address. It ensures that the information remains within the organization’s control. By doing so, the risk of unauthorized access could be reduced.
Educate Employees
Organizations should include Cybersecurity awareness sessions about the potential risks of out-of-office emails. Educating on the importance of OOO responses and following best security practices, users could become more vigilant and better equipped to mitigate potential threats.
Conclusion
Out-of-office emails could introduce security risks if not handled better. As OOO emails are key for effective communication within organizations, Out-of-Office emails shouldn’t be exposing an organization to unnecessary vulnerabilities. Organizations must adopt a security-conscious approach to ensuring these OOO emails aren’t loopholes.
Collaborate with Security Partner – Secure Networks Solutions India (SNS India). We provide Cybersecurity Training Sessions, Phishing Simulation Awareness Sessions, and Network Security Training apart from our regular Cyber Security Solutions. For any queries, please contact us at [email protected].
