1 Introduction

Email is an essential communication tool, but it also creates serious productivity and security issues. Email offers an entry point in your network for spam and other undesired non-business content, such as malicious code, large file attachments that consume valuable disk space, phishing attempts, information and identity theft attacks, and other damaging content and activity.

In addition, email can become a conduit for proprietary data and confidential information to leave the company. Spam, email viruses, malicious code, liability issues, and declining employee productivity are all risks associated with email.

Spam commonly accounts for more than half of the email companies receive. Email viruses, Trojan horses, and other malicious files can cause millions of dollars in damage in just a matter of hours. Reports of companies forced into legal action because of staff misuse of email are becoming commonplace.

Email remains the lifeblood of modern business communication, but the damages email can cause become more costly each year.