What Is Email Protection?

Email remains the most exploited attack vector in cybersecurity. Despite advanced email protection technologies effectively blocking most cyber threats, some email-based messages slip through the cracks. The latest data shows that 99% of unblocked email threats use social engineering techniques or contain malicious phishing links. On top of that, Proofpoint’s latest State of Phish report shows that over two-thirds of employees knowingly put their organizations at risk. Even with robust email protection measures, the human component puts organizations at risk of ransomware or malware infections, data breaches, or financial loss.

Email protection is a combination of security technology deployment and the training of employees, associates, customers, and others to guard against cyber-attacks that infiltrate your network through email.

Common email threats by cyber-attackers usually include sending malicious attachments or known threatening URLs to a targeted person via email. Emails from imposters, however, rely on social engineering and on busy, tired, or distracted employees to get through. Typically, the attacker impersonates a top executive of the company, such as the CEO, based on the assumption that the target will be reluctant to challenge a CEO on a request, such as a wire transfer of money.

Vigilant employees are an important line of defense for protecting email against these spoof emails. They are better equipped to analyze these incoming emails and determine if they are legitimate. If they are found to be real threats, the vigilant employees can thwart them.

The threat landscape is evolving rapidly, with attackers increasingly abusing generative AI, QR codes, and multifactor authentication (MFA) to bypass traditional defenses. In 2024, Proofpoint detected and blocked an average of 66 million business email compromise (BEC) attacks per month, highlighting the scale and persistence of targeted email threats.

Effective email protection now requires AI-powered detection of behavioral anomalies, real-time link analysis, and proactive monitoring for abused legitimate services. Combining these tools with continuous employee training creates a layered defense against evolving threats.

Email protection safeguards organizations by addressing both inbound threats and outbound risks through a blend of technology and strategy. Its core functions work together to block malicious content, secure sensitive data, and adapt to emerging attack methods. Below are essential components of a robust email protection framework:

• Spam filtering: Identifies and blocks unsolicited emails, reducing clutter and minimizing exposure to scams or malware. Advanced email filtering systems analyze sender behavior, content patterns, and domain authenticity to separate legitimate messages from harmful ones.
• Malware detection: Scans email attachments and embedded links for malicious code, including ransomware and spyware. Solutions use sandboxing and behavioral analysis to isolate threats before they reach the inbox.
• Phishing prevention: Detects deceptive emails that mimic trusted entities to steal credentials or financial data. AI-driven tools flag inconsistencies in sender addresses, language, and requests to intercept impersonation attempts.
• Data loss prevention (DLP): Monitors outgoing emails to prevent accidental or intentional leaks of sensitive information, such as financial records or intellectual property. Automated DLP blocks or redacts unauthorized data transfers.
• Email encryption: Secures email content through protocols like TLS or end-to-end email encryption. This is critical for maintaining compliance, protecting data in transit, and ensuring only intended recipients can access confidential information.
• Threat intelligence integration: Leverages global threat data to identify emerging attack patterns which enable real-time updates to defense mechanisms.
• Post-delivery remediation: Quarantines malicious emails discovered after delivery, even if they’ve been forwarded or shared internally. Real-time link rechecking neutralizes delayed attacks.

By strategically merging these functions, organizations create a layered defense that adapts to threats like AI-driven impersonation, QR code phishing, and social engineering. The integration of automated tools and human oversight ensures comprehensive protection across evolving attack surfaces.

Email protection refers to technology designed to prevent, detect and respond to cyber-attacks delivered through email. The term covers everything from gateway email systems to user behavior to related support services and security tools. Effective email security requires not only the selection of the right products—with the required capabilities and configurations—but also having the right procedures in place.

Email protection is critical to safeguarding users, systems, and data. According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 73% of social engineering breaches involved phishing or pretexting via email. Meanwhile, findings from the FBI’s 2024 IC3 Report revealed $2.77 billion in losses from BEC attacks, underscoring the financial stakes of email-based threats. Modern attacks blend sophisticated technical tactics with psychological manipulation, and they demand layered defenses that evolve alongside adversaries.

Common controls for protecting email, such as standard, reputation-based, anti-spam, and signature-based antivirus, are fine for widespread attacks and scam campaigns. But they’re not good enough for protection against more targeted, sophisticated, and advanced attacks. Effective email protection requires a people-centric approach.

Here are some common types of email attacks:

• Malicious email attachments: Cyber criminals may have evolved their attack methods, but some of the old methods, such as malicious attachments, still succeed. Malicious attachments can come in the form of executable files, weaponized documents (such as Microsoft Word files with malicious macros), and malicious code hidden inside other file types.
• Malicious URLs: Cyber-attackers will often include a URL that links to web-hosted malware.
• Business email compromise (BEC): BEC is an attack that relies on social engineering to trick the recipient into taking action—wiring money, sending sensitive information, and more.
• Email account compromise (EAC): EAC is one of the most effective approaches for attackers to take over a legitimate email account. By gaining control of the right account, the intruder can move laterally within the victim’s network, steal data, or scam business partners and customers.
• QR phishing (Quishing): Malicious QR codes embedded in PDFs or documents redirect users to phishing sites. Malicious PDFs often contain QR codes to effectively bypass traditional link scanners.
• Multichannel phishing: Attacks initiate via email but shift to SMS, WhatsApp, or Teams to evade detection.

Most email attacks involve some kind of identity deception or impersonation. The attacker’s email may try to mimic the look of legitimate email through a range of phishing and spoofing techniques—or in the case of EAC, by taking over a legitimate account. By posing as someone the recipient can trust, the attacker persuades the victim to open an attachment, click a link, and more.

While the terms “email protection” and “email security” are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct but complementary aspects of safeguarding organizational communications.

Think of email protection as the sturdy lock on your mailbox; it proactively prevents unwanted or dangerous content from ever reaching your inbox. This includes tools like spam filters, antivirus software, and encryption, all designed to block malicious emails, attachments, and links before they can do harm. Email protection focuses on stopping threats at the door, minimizing the risk of user interaction with anything suspicious.

On the other hand, email security is more like the security system that protects your entire house. It’s a broader concept that encompasses not only the technical measures of email protection but also the policies, procedures, and technologies that safeguard the entire email environment. Email security includes user authentication, access controls, compliance protocols, and ongoing monitoring to ensure integrity, confidentiality, and availability of email communications. It addresses the prevention of threats as well as the detection, response, and recovery from incidents.

“With the increasing volume and sophistication of these threats, it is no surprise that analysts expect the email security market to grow from $4.68 billion in 2024 to $10.83 billion in 2032,” reports Tim Bedard, Director of Product Marketing for Proofpoint. “And it is why experts agree that a comprehensive email security solution is crucial,” he adds.

Both email protection and email security are vital, especially at the enterprise level. They share the goal of keeping communications safe. While protection is about keeping threats out, security ensures the entire system remains resilient, compliant, and trustworthy, even if something slips through. Together, they form a layered approach that is essential for defending against the evolving landscape of email-based attacks.

Modern email protection relies on advanced tools and technologies to combat increasingly sophisticated threats like AI-driven phishing and zero-day malware. Below are key technologies powering today’s defenses:

• Secure Email Gateways (SEGs): Act as a filter between the internet and email servers, inspecting emails for malware, phishing links, and spam. While traditional SEGs struggle with cloud email ecosystems, modern variants integrate API-based scanning to analyze emails post-delivery in platforms like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
• Cloud-based email security services: Offer scalable protection through API integrations, enabling real-time threat detection without disrupting email flow. These services excel at identifying BEC and zero-day attacks by leveraging global threat intelligence networks.
• Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP): Extend email security to devices by scanning downloaded attachments and blocking malicious links. Integrated EPPs correlate endpoint behavior with email activity to detect anomalies, such as unusual file access after a phishing click.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): Analyze email metadata, language patterns, and user behavior to detect sophisticated email impersonation attempts. With Proofpoint, AI models trained on millions of monthly BEC attacks identify subtle red flags, like urgency-driven requests mimicking executives.
• Email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC): Prevent domain spoofing by verifying sender legitimacy. DMARC policies automatically quarantine emails failing authentication checks, reducing phishing success rates by up to 99%.

These solutions work in tandem to secure communications across cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments while addressing both inbound and outbound risks. They form a multi-layered shield, critical for countering the latest cyber threats, such as AI-generated deepfakes and API-based credential harvesting.

Effective email protection requires a strategic blend of technology, policy, and human vigilance. As threats evolve, from AI-driven phishing to zero-day exploits, organizations must adopt proactive measures to secure their email ecosystems. Below are critical best practices for building a resilient defense:

Regularly Update and Patch Systems

Cybersecurity tools depend on timely updates to counter emerging vulnerabilities. Automate patch management for email gateways, servers, and authentication protocols like DMARC and SPF. Prioritize updates for high-risk components and integrate threat intelligence to address actively exploited weaknesses.

Employee Training and Awareness

Human error remains a critical vulnerability. Conduct interactive phishing simulations and scenario-based training to help staff recognize threats like QR code scams or AI-generated impersonation. Encourage a culture of vigilance by providing clear reporting channels for suspicious emails and offering microlearning modules on evolving tactics.

Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Strengthen account security by requiring secondary verification via biometrics, hardware tokens, or authenticator apps. Extend MFA to high-risk roles and systems, such as financial tools or shared mailboxes, and use phishing-resistant methods like FIDO2 security keys for sensitive operations.

Monitor and Analyze Email Traffic

Deploy AI-driven analytics to detect anomalies, such as unusual login locations or spikes in outbound emails. Combine behavioral analysis with real-time URL scanning and attachment sandboxing to neutralize threats. Correlate email activity with endpoint behavior to identify compromised devices.

Develop an Incident Response Plan

Prepare for breaches with a clear playbook outlining roles, communication protocols, and containment steps. Key phases include:

• Identification: Trace attack origins using forensic tools.
• Containment: Isolate affected systems and revoke compromised credentials.
• Eradication: Deploy patches, reset passwords, and purge malicious content.
• Recovery: Restore data from backups and monitor for residual threats.
• Post-mortem: Update defenses based on lessons learned.

Additionally, regular drills should be conducted to test response times and adapt plans to address emerging tactics like deepfake-enabled fraud. By combining these practices, organizations can create a layered defense that adapts to evolving threats while maintaining operational efficiency.

The shift from on-premises email infrastructure to cloud platforms has reshaped email security strategies, but hybrid approaches remain critical for many organizations. While most enterprises now use cloud email platforms like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, on-premise solutions persist in sectors requiring strict data control, such as government and finance.

Cloud Email Protection

Cloud-native solutions leverage API integrations to analyze emails post-delivery, enabling features like:

• Post-delivery remediation: Removes threats from all mailboxes after detection, thereby reducing threat dwell time.
• Behavioral AI: Detects advanced threats like AI-generated scams by analyzing language patterns and sender relationships.
• Scalability: Automatically updates defenses against emerging tactics like QR phishing.

On-Premise Email Security

Still utilized by organizations for specific use cases, on-premise tools:

• Data sovereignty: Offer full control over sensitive data storage and encryption, critical for GDPR/HIPAA compliance.
• Custom policies: Tailors security rules for legacy systems or complex network architectures.
• Reduced third-party risk: Eliminates dependency on external providers for organizations handling classified information.

The Hybrid Imperative

Gartner’s 2024 report notes that 73% of teams now combine cloud and on-premise tools. This approach balances cloud agility with on-premise control, addressing challenges like multichannel attacks and insider threats.

While cloud providers secure infrastructure, user-centric threats dominate: 95% of breaches are tied to human error, such as clicking phishing links. Modern defenses require adaptive solutions that protect both cloud and on-premise ecosystems while addressing behavioral vulnerabilities.

Email protection is the frontline defense in an organization’s cybersecurity strategy, proactively blocking threats like phishing, BEC, and malware before they reach users. While distinct from the broader scope of email security, effective protection is its cornerstone that ensures threats are neutralized at the gateway.

As cyber-attacks evolve with AI-driven impersonation, QR code scams, and multichannel tactics, organizations must prioritize continuous assessment of their email defenses. Integrating advanced tools like behavioral AI, post-delivery remediation, and zero-trust authentication, alongside employee training and hybrid architectures, is critical to countering these risks.

As a leader in email protection, Proofpoint delivers cutting-edge solutions recognized by industry analysts for stopping sophisticated threats. As summarized by Proofpoint’s Bedard, “With real-time threat monitoring, incident response capabilities and detailed visibility into people risks, security and IT teams can swiftly identify and mitigate potential threats. By combining proactive threat detection, automated remediation workflows, and user security awareness and behavior programs, we help reduce the risk of cyber-attacks that target your most vulnerable asset— your people.”

In 2024, Gartner named Proofpoint a Leader in Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Email Security Platforms. See what makes Proofpoint the upper echelon of email protection and get in touch to learn more.