IN a corporate setting, email, as opposed to text, remains the most professional and arguably the most productive way to send messages to clients and fellow office workers.
It comes as no surprise then that the Philippines is among the countries in Southeast Asia that lead the world in “Anomaly Detection in Email Behavior” and “Data Protection in File Sharing.”
According to the recently released “State of Email Security Awareness Report 2023” from global technology company Zoho, the region scored 43.2 percent on email security awareness compared to the Middle East and Africa (MEA) (40.7 percent) and South America (SA) (39.9 percent).
“Anomaly detection” is a feature in email security systems that helps identify unusual or suspicious activities, while “Data Protection in File Sharing” secures confidential information through encryption, authentication, and controls so only authorized users can access the data.
The latest Zoho report also noted that in terms of industry sectors, technology and education performed best, while manufacturing, health care, and government were the most vulnerable to email security threats.
Key findings
Zoho’s “State of Email Security Awareness Report 2023” indicates that:
– The education sector shows remarkably high awareness levels in nearly all threat types, notably in areas such as “Authentication and Access Control” and “Anomaly Detection in Email Behavior.”
– The retail and finance sectors exhibit moderate awareness levels where opportunities for improvement exist in areas such as “Attachments and Phishing” and “Anomaly Detection in Email Behavior.”
– The technology sector leads in “Data Protection in File Sharing” with a commendable 62 percent awareness level, indicating a focus on safeguarding sensitive data, although the data also suggests enhancing email security measures in areas such as “Email Identity Verification” and “Attachments and Phishing.”
– In the health care sector, the vulnerabilities are evident, particularly in “Attachments and Phishing,” with a low awareness of only 34 percent, while awareness regarding “Email Identity Verification” is alarmingly lacking entirely, indicating a critical need for improved email security practices.
– The government sector is identified as vulnerable, characterized by significant gaps in “Email Identity Verification” (29 percent) and “Web content and URL safety” (34 percent), highlighting specific areas requiring focused enhancement in email security protocol.
– The manufacturing sector emerges as the most vulnerable sector, with the lowest awareness in “Web Content and URL Safety” and “Data Protection in File Sharing” at 27 percent and 29 percent, respectively. This highlights an urgent need for comprehensive cybersecurity initiatives to protect critical industry assets within the manufacturing sector.
These insights highlight the necessity for industry-specific cybersecurity measures and training to address distinct vulnerabilities.
SMEs lag behind larger-scale businesses
There was a notable gap in email security awareness between small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and larger enterprises. Southeast Asian SMEs scored 40 percent on awareness, far behind the 51.1 percent of their larger regional competitors.
Awareness among Southeast Asian SMEs was significantly behind developed regions like North America (NA) (61.6 percent), Australia/New Zealand (ANZ) (57 percent), and Europe (EU) (54 percent). However, employees at South East Asian SMEs were marginally ahead of peers in the MEA (39.7 percent) and SA (39.2 percent).
In larger organizations, employee awareness in this region was also higher than MEA (38.1 percent) and SA (36.4 percent). Moreover, there was a significant gap of around 13 percent between Southeast Asian large enterprises and those in developed regions like NA, ANZ and EU.
Correlating experience and awareness
Senior-level employees (11-20 years of experience) in Southeast Asia scored the highest among all experience levels in the region at 54 percent. Though behind NA, ANZ and EU by 12 percent, 9 percent, and 6 percent, respectively, they outdid MEA and SA by 18 percent and 16 percent, respectively. This suggests a moderate level of awareness among seasoned professionals in the region.
On the other hand, executive-level employees (more than 20 years of experience) exhibited a surprising dip from the year before to 45 percent. They trail NA, ANZ, EU by 20 percent, 15 percent and 11 percent, respectively, and also lagged behind India, MEA, SA) by 4 percent, 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively.
New entrants into the workforce displayed a 30 percent awareness level, behind NA, ANZ, EU by 20 percent, 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively. However, consistent with freshers in India, MEA, SA, they exhibited similar awareness levels.
There is also a significant awareness gap of 24.6 percent between freshers and senior-level employees in the Southeast Asia region. The disparities in awareness across experience levels highlight the need for continuous training and upskilling initiatives tailored to professionals at different stages of their careers, regardless of their seniority.
This survey was conducted by Zoho Workplace in October 2023 and included responses from 1,814 survey participants globally. The report serves as an essential benchmark for businesses, IT leaders and cybersecurity educators, aiding in the evaluation and improvement of email security awareness initiatives.
Zoho Corp. is one of the world’s most prolific technology companies, with 55+ apps in nearly every major business category.
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