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[](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww2.paloaltonetworks.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F02%2Fwhats-leaking-through-your-webmail-account%2F) [](https://twitter.com/share?text=What%27s+Leaking+Through+Your+Webmail+Account%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww2.paloaltonetworks.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F02%2Fwhats-leaking-through-your-webmail-account%2F) [](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww2.paloaltonetworks.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F02%2Fwhats-leaking-through-your-webmail-account%2F&title=What%27s+Leaking+Through+Your+Webmail+Account%3F&summary=&source=) [](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com//www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2008/02/whats-leaking-through-your-webmail-account/&ts=markdown) \[\](mailto:?subject=What's Leaking Through Your Webmail Account?) Link copied By [Matt Keil](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/author/matt/?ts=markdown "Posts by Matt Keil") Feb 06, 2008 1 minutes [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown) [application control](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/application-control/?ts=markdown) [data leakage](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/tag/data-leakage/?ts=markdown) ANALYSIS -- This article is a perfect example of why enterprise organizations should take a close look at their policies on use of webmail accounts. More and more employees rely on their personal email accounts to keep in touch with the outside world even during work hours and because many of these webmail applications are easier to use from remote locations than Outlook, it is not uncommon for work related traffic to flow across personal email accounts. A risky combination to be sure making the chances of data loss and threat propagation an increasingly high possibility. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that most all of the webmail programs are capable of evading detection by existing port-based security solutions. There is no easy fix to the problem. Some enterprises have written policies that are completely ignored. Others make cursory attempts with firewall helpers to control it and then there are those who know it is happening yet chose to selectively ignore it. The bottom line is that enterprises are exposing themselves unnecessarily and should make more concerted efforts to rein in this untamed monster. Click [here](http://blogs.csoonline.com/web_based_e_mail_accounts_can_lead_to_embarrassing_security_breaches) to view the CSO Online blog article. *** ** * ** *** ## Related Blogs ### [Cloud NGFW](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/cloud-ngfw/?ts=markdown), [Cloud Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/cloud-security/?ts=markdown), [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown) [#### Modernizing Security on AWS: From Firewall Ops to Security Intent](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/modernizing-security-on-aws-from-firewall-ops-to-security-intent/) ### [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown), [Strata Network Security Platform](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/strata-network-security-platform/?ts=markdown), [Zero Trust Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/zero-trust-security/?ts=markdown) [#### Powering the AI Enterprise with New Software Firewall Capabilities](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/powering-the-ai-enterprise-with-new-software-firewall-capabilities/) ### [AI Application Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/ai-application-security/?ts=markdown), [AI Governance](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-governance/?ts=markdown), [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown), [Next-Generation Firewalls](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/next-generation-firewalls/?ts=markdown), [Partners](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/partners/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown) [#### Palo Alto Networks Announces Support for NVIDIA Enterprise AI Factory](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2026/01/support-nvidia-enterprise-ai-factory/) ### [5G Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/5g-security/?ts=markdown), [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown), [IoT Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/category/iot-security/?ts=markdown) [#### Protecting the Utility Grid's Digital Ecosystem, from Core to Edge to AI](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/network-security/protecting-the-utility-grid-digital-ecosystem-from-core-to-edge-to-ai/) ### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Endpoint](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/endpoint-2/?ts=markdown), [Event](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/event/?ts=markdown), [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown), [Non categorizzato](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/non-categorizzato/?ts=markdown) [#### See How We're Fortifying Cloud and AI at AWS re:Inforce 2025](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/06/fortifying-cloud-ai-aws-reinforce/) ### [AI Security](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/ai-security/?ts=markdown), [Announcement](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/announcement/?ts=markdown), [Firewall](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/firewall/?ts=markdown), [Next-Generation Firewalls](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/next-generation-firewalls/?ts=markdown), [Products and Services](https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/category/products-and-services/?ts=markdown) [#### Securing AI Agent Innovation with Prisma AIRS MCP Server](https://www2.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2025/06/securing-ai-agent-innovation-prisma-airs-mcp-server/) ### Subscribe to the Blog! 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