Private Forwarding of Work Emails: The Risks and How MDM Solutions Offer Protection

Forwarding work emails to private email accounts poses risks for data protection and security. Learn how smartphones play a role in this and how Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions provide protection.

For most employees, using email is a natural part of their daily work routine. Especially with the rise of mobile working methods, smartphones play a central role in accessing business emails while on the go or from home.

It often happens that employees forward their work emails to private email accounts – often to make their work easier. Reasons for this include greater familiarity with personal apps or bypassing technical restrictions on work devices.

But what happens when sensitive business information suddenly ends up in private inboxes? Recent reports highlight that privately forwarding work emails can have serious consequences – even leading to immediate dismissal. What may seem like a convenient solution for employees carries significant risks for data security and privacy.

Risks When Privately Forwarding Business Emails

The risks that arise from forwarding sensitive business data to unsecured private email accounts include:

1. Data loss and privacy violations: Freemail services often do not have the same security standards as corporate solutions. This increases the risk of sensitive data falling into the wrong hands.
   
   
2. Legal consequences: Companies are subject to strict data protection regulations, such as GDPR. The Uncontrolled transfer of data to private inboxes can constitute a violation for which the company – or even the individual employee – can be held liable.
   
   
3. Reputational damage: A data breach can lead not only to legal consequences but also to significant financial losses and damage to a company’s reputation.

How Mobile Device Management (MDM) Protects Aganist Risks

While there are often established security measures in place for desktop computers to prevent email forwarding, smartphones and tablets are frequently overlooked. With an MDM platform, companies can close this security gap.

MDM solutions cannot completely prevent email forwarding, however they offer a range of tools to secure email communication. This allows for the effective restriction of uncontrolled sharing of sensitive data on mobile devices as well.

• Secure use of native email apps: With a sustainable MDM solution, employees can securely use familiar email apps like iOS Mail or the Gmail app on Android devices. This eliminates the need to forward work emails to private accounts in the first place. An MDM solution ensures that all emails are processed according to the company’s security policies without compromising the familiar user experience.
  
• Secure email access on mobile devices: MDM platforms provide the ability to allow access to company emails only through encrypted and secure connections. This ensures that business emails can only be opened via authorized apps or browsers.
  
  
• Separation of work and personal data: An appropiate MDM solution separates business and personal data on mobile devices. Even if an employee uses a personal email account on their device, the MDM system ensures that sensitive company data does not enter the personal space.
  
  
• Remote control and wiping: If a device is stolen or lost, companies can quickly respond via the MDM solution and remotely delete business data without affecting the entire device. This ensures that sensitive data remains protected, even in critical situations.

Conclusion: Prevention is Key

Privately forwarding work emails may seem harmless at first glance, but it can have serious consequences for both employees and the company.

With a Mobile Device Management solution such as Cortado MDM, risks are minimized. Companies ensure that sensitive data is always protected and that security and data protection policies are consistently adhered to.

In times when flexibility and mobile working are increasingly important, the use of MDM is not just a matter of efficiency but also of data protection – making it an essential tool to minimize legal and business-related risks.