Most organizations over look this very important security tool. How can an organization or an individual verify the authenticity of an in coming mail? Attaching a signature to your mail should be a standard practice. Your E-mail Signature is an electronic business card and as such is a very important security tool in e-mail verification.

Here is a sample of an e-mail signature
<+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++>
Customer Consideration Ltd    info@customerconsider.com
http://:www.customerconsider.com
No 20 Ibadan Road, Opposite Yemi Book Shop,
Kaduna, Nigeria, West Africa.
GSM:, Tel No:
We Sell Affordable Baby Clothes
<+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++>
 

All the ways by which your organization can be contacted; phone numbers, fax number, mailing address, e-mail address, url address.

The particular designation of the individual or the department's name sending the mail. Example if it's the CEO of a bank it should be stated. ceo @ xyzbank.com

Every e-mail address must have an e-mail signature. Example ceo @ xyzbank.com

info @ xzybank.com Each e-mail address should have an e-mail signature.

The organization's logo and slogan should also be added.

As A Weapon Against E-mail Fraud
A mail stating that, they must not honor any mail not containing the attached e-mail signature must be sent to all clients. A copy of all e-mail signatures must be forwarded to the company's lawyer.

How Do You Set Up An E-mail Signature
All standard e-mail programs come with the ability to set up an e-mail signature. The e-mail programs also give you the option of attaching the e-mail signature to every outgoing mail.

Advantages Of E-mail Signatures
Any Organization or Individual, claiming to have received a fraudulent mail from a well established organization, should be made to send a copy of the fraudulent mail for verification. Once the e-mail signature is not attached to it. The lawyer can always sue for name defamation, if the said organization is not aware of the company's e-mail signature.

Advice:
In information security, the little things we over look counts. How many companies in Nigeria are aware of e-mail signatures?

A copy of the e-mail signature or signatures must be registered with the appropriate copyright organization.

Website development must be accompanied by an it security consultant. Recently a disclaimer Advertisement was placed in one of the widely read newspapers stating "scams involving illegal reference".

The question now is, how can people identify legitimate mails?

Christopher Okoh
CEO
Computer Security & Network Associates
Website:http://www.compsana.com