Cybersecurity solutions firm Fortinet commemorates 50 years of email sharing tips and steps on how users can secure this major form of communication in this digital age.

Engineer Ray Tomlinson is credited for inventing electronic mail by sending a message from one computer to another over a network. Tomlinson was a contractor for the US Defense Department. He was also responsible for the “@” symbol used in emails.

However, prior to this historic event, Noel Morris and Tom Van Vleck worked on a program that enabled communication between mainframe computer users. This precursor was intended for the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The CTSS Operations department used this system to inform users that file retrieval requests had been completed.

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Email survives the plethora of messaging apps available today. For official or business matters, some people prefer to communicate by email. That is why cybercriminals still use email to advance their crimes. Phishing via email is a cybercrime that still persists today.

Email Security with Fortinet’s FortiMail

Businesses can consider securing their emails, especially in these times of remote working where most employees are vulnerable to security lapses.

Fortinet provides advanced protection for email through the Fortinet Security Fabric, safeguarding organizations’ valuable data, employees, and productivity. With the ability to work seamlessly with any existing email infrastructure investment, Fortinet FortiMail can help organizations guard against the full spectrum of email-based threats.

The interconnected nature of mission-critical business operations and email security is fundamental to digital transformation.

“Although email is now 50 years old, it remains young when viewed through the lens of communications history,” Fortinet said. “Looking toward the future, organizations must ensure that they protect these communications to ensure robust data security and privacy for years to come with solutions like Fortinet’s FortiMail.”