Security by Default – On the Safe Side

Especially in the field of information technology (IT) and software, it has become an important factor not only for global players but also for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the value chain. For example, companies that can quickly access and analyze customer data have a clear competitive advantage. The digitization of public administration networks and administrative processes also creates numerous opportunities.

At the same time, IT security has become increasingly important. The more important IT becomes in the value chain, the more critical and complex the necessary security measures become. "The role that IT security ultimately plays in corporate strategy varies greatly from company to company. A company should assess the risks inherent in its nature and the probability of these risks occurring. The business model must evaluate its dependency on the availability of IT systems and stored data, taking into account all compliance requirements that the company is subject to. Basically, many SMEs have not even started to see IT security as part of their corporate strategies," says Michael Zimmer, CEO of G DATA Advanced Analytics GmbH, in a guest article published on security-insider.de.

Software producers have a certain responsibility

Björn Meyn, Product Manager of MailStore Server

Björn Meyn, MailStore Server Product Manager, says: "When I buy a car, I expect the manufacturer to include as many security features as possible in the final product. As software engineers, we also think it is our responsibility to provide customers with as much built-in security as possible, so that overworked IT departments, managers and smaller system environments can focus on their increasingly complex daily tasks."

Over the years, MailStore has continuously focused on improving the security features of its email archiving software - at least because it has decided to be watchful about security.

Security by Default in MailStore Software

For example, since version 10, all database configurations, archiving profiles, or password-containing databases as well as the archives themselves have been encrypted. And since business life is becoming more and more "mobile" every day, sensitive Web access is only available via an encrypted HTTPS connection. Since version 12, all connections to email archives have been encrypted with HTTPS, and a password policy requiring complex passwords has been introduced to increase archive security. In addition to the option of automatic TLS encryption via Let's Encrypt™ certificates, these examples show how software can make life easier for IT managers in terms of security. In general, we are trying to reduce the complexity and related administrative efforts of our software - while also taking into account possible errors during configuration and use. Of course, as a supplier of special solutions, MailStore's job is easier than that of other providers: Björn Meyn says, "Thanks to our core competence in secure archiving, you can specialize in email archiving." You can completely focus on archiving and adapt our products to your customers' needs. This means that our business processes and user interfaces are neither complex nor user-friendly in design. This helps prevent errors while providing maximum security by completing security features by default."

In conclusion:

IT is an inseparable part of the value process and is becoming more complex every day. Even in SMEs, IT is no longer just positioned as a "supporting" basis. An IT loss means a sales loss. Data security, especially in terms of customer data, has become quite important in the context of GDPR. Data leaks can cause large fines - I don't even mention potential loss of trust among customers. And thanks to software that meets high security standards by default, those who remain on the safe side are not only IT managers; CEOs can also be sure that IT threats are minimized and their business is secure. Employees appreciate that the software they use is reliable and does not create risks when using corporate IT. Government officials and public sector organizations can reduce IT outages while complying with strict data confidentiality laws. This also allows them to follow the trend of digitalization in government processes (e-Government) and comply with the popular demand for digital governance with peace of mind.

You can find more information about security in the context of MailStore software in our blog article Keep Your Software Up to Date.

The 12th version of MailStore Server can be downloaded for free from the company website here by all current customers with valid Upgrade and Support Service contracts. Customers whose Upgrade and Support Service contracts have expired should renew them via the paid upgrade option and also upgrade to the new version.

Companies interested in this can download the version as part of a 30-day free trial.

Source: Security by Default – On the Safe Side - MailStore