Emails at Risks: Why Shared Mailboxes Are a Breach Waiting to Happen

Risk #1: Unencrypted emails

One of the most significant risks associated with shared mailboxes is the lack of email encryption.

Emails in shared mailboxes are not encrypted by design, meaning that they are not protected from unauthorized access or interception. This lack of encryption leaves sensitive information, such as financial data, personal identification information, and confidential business information, at risk of being stolen, lost, or exposed.

The main reason shared mailboxes do not support email encryption is because they can be accessed by multiple users. If an email were encrypted, only the intended recipient would be able to access and read it. However, in a shared mailbox, multiple users require access to the same email, making encryption impossible without compromising accessibility.

Risk #2: Too much users accesses

One of the main compliance and security concerns is that too many people have access to shared mailboxes, making it difficult to monitor and control who sees sensitive information.

Many businesses in regulated industries, such as insurance and finance, are required to maintain strict data privacy and security standards. However, shared mailboxes often fall short of these requirements, as they do not provide sufficient control and oversight of data access and usage.

For example, if a customer sends an email containing their personal identification information to a shared mailbox, any team member with access to the mailbox can read that email. This could include individuals who do not have a legitimate business need to access that information.

Risk #3: Information is not deleted

Email accounts are often vulnerable to hacking and other security breaches, with millions of accounts being compromised each year, making it risky to ask customers to share sensitive information via email.

Even if your company deletes an email message from their mailbox, it may still exist in the customer's mailbox or the email servers, leaving the sensitive information vulnerable to unauthorized access or compromise.

Insurance companies have a responsibility to protect customer data, and relying on email for sensitive information exchange can expose both the company and the customer to significant risks.

How Companies use Penbox to get rid of shared mailboxes

Penbox is a secure information and documents collection platform designed to address the security and compliance risks associated with shared mailboxes. With Penbox, insurance companies can create private and secure communication channels for specific users, teams and customers, ensuring advanced and granular access control.

Send links, not sensitive data

Penbox provides a unique and secure way to share information and documents by generating private and secure links that ensure no sensitive information stays in the mailbox of the customer or the company. This reduces the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access while also encrypting all information shared through these links.

Additionally, Penbox uses end-to-end encryption to protect all information and files shared on the platform, ensuring that data remains secure and confidential.

Transform old-fashion emails into impactful digital experiences

Penbox also simplifies the communication process by providing a user-friendly interface and integrating with existing internal tools, CRMs and core systems. This makes it easy for teams to collaborate and exchange information securely with customers, without the risks associated with traditional shared mailboxes.

By using Penbox, insurance companies can improve their data security and compliance posture while streamlining communication and collaboration among teams and customers. With the increasing emphasis on data privacy and security, Penbox provides a robust solution for insurance companies looking to protect their customer data and maintain compliance with data protection regulations.