Text messaging has become an indispensable mode of communication for businesses today.
However, with data stealing and identity theft being rampant, secure text messaging has never been more crucial.
These days, most businesses these days, including those in healthcare and other sensitive industries, rely on mobile devices, and as a result, confidential information is exchanged via text messages.
It’s a simple reality of doing business, but not securing these text messages can harm your company’s reputation and damage the trust of clients.
Want to stay safe? In this blog, we will discuss the top ways for businesses to secure their text messages.
Why Should Businesses Use Secure Text Messaging Services?
Text messaging is one of the quickest and most efficient communication tools for clients, employees, or colleagues. Unlike emails and phone calls that may get lost in the shuffle, text messages have a 98% open rate.
Plus, texts get read within seconds, making it an ideal way of conveying important information.
Keep Client Information Safe
As a business owner, you have a duty to protect client information. Confidentiality is essential in every business relationship, and text messaging is no exception. By using secure text messaging services, you avoid the risks of exposing sensitive client information to unintended sources such as hackers.
Protect Sensitive Business Information
Secure text messaging services are not just necessary for client information but also for any sensitive business information.
Text messages can be intercepted, and anyone with access to them can easily disclose or misuse the content provided. Secure text messaging services encrypt the messages, making them impossible to decode by unintended parties.
Establish and Maintain Trust
As a business owner, your commitment to confidentiality and data protection can be the most valuable asset in building and maintaining trust with your clients and employees. Adopting a secure text messaging platform assures your clients and employees that their information is safe and gives them confidence in your business operations.
Avoid Legal Repercussions
Businesses that deal with sensitive client information are bound by law to safeguard that information. The loss of any information, whether accidental or intentional, can have serious legal consequences. Using secure text messaging services can help you avoid legal retributions, ensuring you remain within the law.
Prevent Service Disruptions
With security breaches being very common now, disruptive events are bound to happen. Incidents that affect your business operations can result in business loss. Using secure text messaging service providers ensures that your business operations are not hindered by such incidents.
What Are Common Threats to Business Security?
Today, more and more businesses are turning to text messaging as a means of communication. The speed, convenience, and efficiency of SMS messaging make it an attractive option for time-sensitive communications within a company.
Yet there are a few potential threats that exist – let’s take a closer look.
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks
A man-in-the-middle attack is a type of cyber attack where a third party intercepts the communication between two parties. In the case of text messaging, a man-in-the-middle attack could allow hackers to access sensitive information, which can lead to identity theft and financial loss.
To prevent man-in-the-middle attacks, businesses should use encryption software to protect their text messages. This type of software encodes the message, so only the intended recipient can read it.
Improper Handling
Employees who handle business text messages improperly can also put business security at risk. For example, if an employee leaves their phone unlocked or unattended, someone could easily access their text messages and read sensitive information.
To avoid this problem, businesses should set up security protocols that require employees to lock their phones when not in use and never leave their phones unattended.
Data Interception
Data interception is another common threat to business security. This type of attack occurs when hackers use technology to intercept and access data transmissions. They can do this by using software that captures data on the wireless network.
SMS Phishing
SMS phishing is a type of cyber attack where hackers use text messages to trick people into giving them sensitive information. The text messages often appear to come from a legitimate source, such as a bank or vendor, and may ask for personal information, such as account numbers, your phone number, passwords, or social security numbers.
Malware Attacks
Malware attacks target text messaging devices by infecting them with viruses and other types of malicious software. Once infected, hackers can access sensitive information and steal data.
How to Secure Your Text Messages on iPhones
One of the best ways to secure your text messages on iPhones is by using iMessage.
iMessage uses end-to-end encryption, which means your messages can only be read by you and the recipient. However, it’s worth noting that this encryption only works when you’re engaging in instant messaging other iPhone users.
If you send a message to an Android user, it will send as a standard SMS message without encryption.
And it’s not totally private, either. Apple can (and frequently does) turn over information in these messages to the government.
How to Secure Your Text Messages on Android
First things first, you need to ensure that the person you are messaging has an Android phone. Android message encryption is fairly new and was only introduced in 2021.
Unfortunately, if you’re sending messages to an iPhone user, your messages will not be encrypted – just as the reverse is also true for iOS users.
Android message encryption only works if all parties have it on. Make sure both parties have it enabled. If either one of you disables the encryption, your messages will become vulnerable, and your confidential information may be exposed.
It’s also worth noting that while encryption protects your messages from hackers, there’s always a risk that your data may be exposed in other ways. Google, for instance, may hand over your data to the government if they receive a legal request.
Finally, it’s important to note that Android message encryption doesn’t work with group texts.
Unfortunately, if you’re messaging a group of people, your messages will not be encrypted. In that case, you may want to use a more secure communication platform.
Why Should You Use a Secure Messaging App Instead of Email or Regular Text?
With the rise of secure messaging apps, you no longer have to compromise on convenience for security. Here are a few reasons why they might be the perfect solution for you.
Secure Communications
Email and text are convenient and fast, but they are also highly vulnerable to hacking and other security breaches. With email and text, you are sending your messages through multiple servers, which means multiple points of vulnerability.
On the other hand, when you use a secure messaging app, your messages are encrypted end-to-end, meaning that they are scrambled at the sender’s device and only readable by the recipient’s device. This makes it nearly impossible for anyone to intercept your messages.
Better Options for Collaboration and Collaboration
Collaboration is an important part of any business, and a secure messaging app gives you better options for collaboration than email or text.
With a secure messaging app, you can easily share files and documents, have group chats, and get instant feedback from your team. You can also integrate your messaging app with other business tools, such as project management software, for even better collaboration.
Increased Connectivity
With a secure messaging app, you can stay connected with your team no matter where you are in the world.
Unlike email or text, which can be delayed by hours or even days, secure messaging apps allow you to communicate in real-time. This not only increases productivity but also fosters a sense of community within your team.
Communication in Real Time
Real-time communication is invaluable in any business. With a secure messaging app, you can get instant feedback and make quick decisions. You can also easily track conversations and avoid miscommunications that can lead to costly mistakes.
What Features Should a Secure Messaging App or Service Have?
Now that you know all the benefits of secure messaging services, here are some tips to help you find the perfect one.
End to End Encryption
Perhaps the most important feature of a secure messaging app is end-to-end encryption. This means that the messages you send are protected by encryption from the moment they are sent until they reach the intended recipient.
This encryption ensures that the messages cannot be intercepted or read by anyone else. It’s important to note that not all messaging apps use end-to-end encryption, so it’s crucial to choose one that does.
Ability to Work With Multiple Communication Mediums
A good messaging app should work with multiple communication mediums, including text, voice, and video. This allows you to choose the most appropriate form of communication for each circumstance.
For example, you may need to send a quick text message to a colleague about an upcoming meeting, or you may need to make a video call to discuss a project in more depth.
Options for Multiple Platforms
A secure messaging app should work across multiple platforms, including smartphones, desktops, and mobile devices. This ensures that you can access your messages from wherever you are, at any time. It’s important to choose an app that is compatible with the devices you use most frequently.
Ability for Message Deletion
In some cases, messages need to be deleted for security or privacy reasons. A secure messaging app should allow you to delete messages from both your own device and from the recipient’s device.
This ensures that the message is erased completely and cannot be recovered by anyone, even if they have access to the device.
Additional Security Features
In addition to the features we’ve already discussed, a secure messaging app may include additional security features.
For example, some apps may require two-factor authentication to log in, or they may offer the ability to set a passcode or biometric authentication for increased security. Other features may include the ability to turn off read receipts or to disable screenshots within the app.
Other Tips for Secure Text Messaging for Small Businesses
Here are a few more tips to secure your business communication with text messaging.
Find a Platform That Encrypts Data
One of the foremost things to consider when looking for a platform to use for communication is encryption. Encryption is a way to scramble data so that nobody else can read it except the recipient.
A platform that offers end-to-end encryption ensures that the data is protected from any potential unauthorized access from the sender’s device to the recipient’s device, making it less likely to face data breaches.
Use Two-Factor Authentication
Another effective step you can take is requiring two-factor authentication for login. With two-factor authentication in place, you can ensure that anyone attempting to access sensitive data is more likely to be authorized to do so and is also less likely to fall victim to unauthorized attacks by password-guessing bots or phishing scams.
Limit the Sharing of Sensitive Information
It’s important to emphasize that sensitive data ought to be guarded closely. One way to do this is to limit the communication of such data through text messaging or opt for platforms that offer higher levels of security versus passing it along through multiple channels such as email.
Furthermore, there should be a policy outlined within the company about what level of data can be shared through text messages.
Make Sure Data is Stored Properly
Make sure your data is stored properly without exposing it to potential attackers. Professionals recommend that businesses must explore data backup strategies and better security measures than those included in the standard operating system.
Train Your Employees
People are often the weakest links in data security, and in today’s world, businesses are not immune from cyber-attacks. That’s why it’s imperative to train your employees in good cybersecurity hygiene.
Your employees must understand and follow the best practices, including better password practices, avoiding the use of public Wi-Fi, and avoiding downloads of any suspicious email attachments.
Enable Access Controls
Access controls help restrict unauthorized usage of sensitive data and need to be enabled wherever possible. By enforcing permissions and granting access to only those who require it, the system can become more efficient, and the data will be less likely to be accessed by individuals not verified.
Keep Software Up to Date
Not updating software can put business data at risk; it is essential to make sure that both the software firewall and antivirus are consistently updated. As updated versions of the software come with additional security measures, the older versions are prone to data breaches.
Don’t Use Personal Devices for Business Communications
Finally, it’s always better to use company-issued devices for business communication instead of using personal devices. With company-issued devices, the business can keep control over the device and can remove access at any time if any sort of issue arises and thus keep data safe and protected.
Can Encryption Be Removed From Text Messages?
Removing encryption from SMS text messages would mean removing the security layer that ensures the messages are only accessible to authorized parties. That would make your messages vulnerable to interception, hacking, and exploitation by unauthorized individuals. Thus, removing encryption is not a viable solution.
It’s worth noting that encryption technology continues to evolve, and there are different types of encryption methods used by messaging applications. Some messaging apps use end-to-end encryption, which is considered the most secure method for protecting your messages.
In end-to-end encryption, the message is encrypted on the sender’s device and can only be decrypted on the recipient’s device. This way, even if the message gets intercepted, it cannot be read by unauthorized entities.
One more thing to note is that even if encryption could be removed, it would not be a good idea. Encryption protects personal data such as bank transactions, medical records, and confidential business information.
Removing encryption would make it easy for criminals to steal such sensitive information, increasing the risk of fraud, identity theft, cyber-attacks, and more. In other words, removing encryption would leave you and your business exposed to cyber threats.
What is the Best Secure Messaging App?
If you’re looking for a messaging app that will keep your most sensitive business data safe, you have lots of options to choose from. Some common names you’ll hear include WhatsApp, Threema, Telegram, Wire, and Signal.
However, without a doubt, the best option for secure messaging is offered by Sekur. Sekur is a comprehensive and secure messaging platform explicitly designed to fulfill all the needs for businesses – and for businesses of all kinds.
Its unique features provide businesses with the security and protection they require in today’s increasingly digital landscape. So go ahead – send that text. But do it in confidence after you’ve signed up for Sekur and know your data is safe.
