Phishing continues to be one of the most common security threats today, and anyone who uses digital communication channels can become a victim. Registered investment advisors (RIAs) and financial advisors who primarily rely on emails should be extra vigilant and take steps to create a secure environment for transmitting sensitive information.
Microsoft’s first contact safety tip can protect your RIA firm by enabling you to identify suspicious emails and take action before it’s too late.
What is Microsoft’s first contact safety tip?
If you use Outlook as your email platform, then you may have encountered the following warning messages.
- You don’t often get email from [sender].
- Some people who received this message don’t often get email from [sender].
These are examples of Microsoft’s first contact safety tip, which is designed to alert you to emails from unknown or suspicious senders. Whenever you receive a message from an unfamiliar email address, or if it’s been some time since the last one, these safety tips will appear. If the message has multiple recipients, you’ll be notified when most of the recipients don’t usually receive messages from the sender.
How can Microsoft’s first contact safety tip help keep your RIA safe?
Enabling Microsoft’s first contact safety tip can help you recognize potential phishing attempts and prevent the misuse of confidential information. If a suspicious email arrives in your inbox, you can take action by deleting it or reporting it to your IT team for further investigation. This feature may also help you identify malicious senders who are attempting to impersonate your clients or colleagues.
Additionally, using this feature can encourage employees to practice safe online behavior. Safety tips can remind advisors and staff to be more cautious when opening emails or responding to messages.
This level of vigilance can go a long way in protecting your RIA firm’s data and ensuring compliance with industry regulations. In fact, turning on the first contact safety tip feature improves your Microsoft Secure Score, which is one of the key metrics that regulators use to assess an organization’s security posture.
What are the other benefits of enabling Microsoft’s first contact safety tip?
Apart from beefing up your RIA firm’s security, enabling Microsoft’s first contact safety tip feature helps you stay organized by making it easier to identify emails from regular contacts. This can be especially useful when you are dealing with a large volume of emails on a daily basis and need to prioritize accordingly.
Additionally, safety tips can reduce the amount of time spent on identifying and responding to phishing attacks. By having a quick reference tool that can alert you to suspicious emails, you can take appropriate action much faster.
Finally, safety tips help increase employee productivity by reducing distractions caused by phishing emails and other security threats. By freeing up their time, this feature lets advisors and staff focus on their core tasks and maximize efficiency.
Microsoft’s first contact safety tip is a simple yet powerful security feature that can help your RIA stay safe from cyberthreats. By taking the time to configure this setting, you can rest assured that your firm is better protected against malicious actors and their attempts to access confidential information.
If you use Outlook and have a Microsoft subscription but don’t receive these safety tips, ask your IT team or contact our experts at RIA WorkSpace to enable the feature right away. This small step can save your RIA firm from unnecessary security headaches and ensure the safety of your data.