Email remains the primary gateway for cybersecurity attacks. Cybercriminals constantly evolve, using sophisticated technology to launch phishing attacks, business email compromise (BEC), and other schemes designed to deceive employees and bypass traditional security measures.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported that BEC scams in 2023 led to adjusted losses exceeding $2.9 billion, up from $2.7 billion in 2022. These scams resulted in $4.57 billion in losses in 2023, marking a 38% increase from the previous year.

Traditional email security solutions focus on blocking threats before they reach users through malware scanners, spam filters, and other tools. However, attackers are now using social engineering, artificial intelligence (AI), and domain spoofing to circumvent these defenses. As threats get through, companies often must manage incidents manually, slowing response times and causing significant operational and financial damage.

A robust email security strategy must include prevention, detection, automated incident response, and authentication capabilities. Here, we outline the four essential elements of a modern, responsive email security solution that sets a new standard against contemporary threats.

1. Pre-delivery threat prevention and detection

The first line of defense is blocking malicious emails before they reach employees. Effective email security should combine traditional tools like secure email gateways (SEGs), spam filters, content filtering, and malware detection with advanced technologies such as sandboxing (to isolate suspicious emails) and AI-based phishing defense. These AI tools can identify anomalies in messages that traditional filters might miss. 

2. Post-delivery automated incident response

No matter how effective your protection is, some advanced threats may bypass initial defenses. When they do, organizations need tools to enhance cyber resilience. Advanced threat-hunting tools can uncover malicious messages that have already reached employees, providing insights into anomalies, attack scope, and affected users for a more efficient response.

Automated post-delivery solutions can isolate suspicious emails, notify users, and take additional remediation steps. Advanced systems offer further insights into threats, help track the spread of malicious emails, and note sender behavior patterns.

With automated threat detection and post-delivery remediation, admins can neutralize attacks in seconds without overburdening IT resources. They also gain access to advanced threat analysis reports, helping them understand emerging threats and how to counter them.

3. Email authentication 

Advanced phishing attacks combined with domain spoofing can be hard to detect with traditional email security and human analysis. 

Sender authentication tools, like DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), provide enhanced security and visibility regarding domain usage. These tools help prevent domain spoofing by protecting email domains from unauthorized use and brand impersonation.

DMARC reporting tools offer several benefits beyond phishing protection:

• Ensure deliverability of outgoing emails and protect a brand’s reputation by reducing the likelihood of domain spoofing
• Provide visibility into who is sending emails on behalf of the organization, whether legitimately or fraudulently
• Prevent bad actors from exploiting legitimate domains while enhancing cybersecurity

DMARC has become a requirement for organizations that send over 5,000 emails through platforms such as Google and Yahoo. AI is also now being used to analyze email content based on regular activity within the company to help improve its algorithms.

Moreover, Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) solutions can further enhance protection against threats such as phishing scams, malware, and data breaches. By implementing ICES, organizations can better safeguard sensitive information and maintain the integrity of their email communications, ultimately fostering a more secure digital environment.

4. Flexible deployment methods

Flexible deployment options allow businesses to integrate email security seamlessly with their existing systems. Modern tools enable deployment with or without altering MX records or through API-based integration with platforms like Gmail and Microsoft Exchange. This flexibility allows organizations to adopt advanced security at their own pace, prioritizing protection while maintaining simplicity. It also enables companies to tailor their deployments based on business complexity, size, budget, and internal IT resources.

Given the evolving nature of email-based cybersecurity threats, traditional gateway-based approaches are no longer sufficient. Businesses need integrated solutions that combine prevention, detection, response, and authentication, deployable across organizations of any size or structure. The four key elements outlined above are critical for ensuring robust cyber hygiene and preventing disruptive, costly security breaches.

Olesia Klevchuk is Product Marketing Director for Barracuda.