Generally speaking, security and convenience have a diametrically opposite relationship like opposite ends of a seesaw. The higher one is, the lower the other. Everyone would like an unlimited amount of both, but the relationship makes this impossible. The challenge, and everyone’s ethical responsibility, is to find the balance that gives the proper amount of security with the corresponding amount of convenience. The simple answer is to make security the highest priority. The business answer is to make things convenient and efficient. Thus the challenge, if you emphasize security so much that basic communication becomes a hassle, nothing will get done or worse, people will find a way to bypass the security measures altogether.

In simple terms, if you are sending an email about a tee time, you do not need to worry about security. Feel free to use unsecured, free WiFi at a coffee shop and identify the contents in the subject line. If you are preparing for a real estate transaction and sending pre-closing documents with other people's information security needs to be the highest priority. Follow the advice of your title insurance company. For starters, do not ever use unsecured WiFi and do not ever identify the contents in the subject line.

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received complaints that totalled $1.3 billion in losses in 2016. Before you send information electronically, think about the information and make sure you are using an appropriate level of security. Security is everyone's responsibility.