Email Threat Protection
Cybercriminals are targeting your inbox with unprecedented sophistication. They’re exploiting AI to supercharge phishing — and it’s working.
Nearly half (45%) of organizations have seen phishing attacks rise with the spread of AI tools.[1] And among those hit with ransomware, 69% report a surge in phishing.[2] It’s a relentless wave, and it’s putting real people and real businesses at risk. That’s why it’s so important to have email threat protection in place.
This article breaks down what email threat protection actually is, how it works to stop real attacks, and what to look for in a solution,
What is email threat protection?
Email threat protection is the security layer standing between your inbox and the attackers trying to exploit it. It goes beyond simply filtering spam to also prevent phishing attempts, malware delivery, business email compromise (BEC), and other threats that ride in on everyday messages.
Modern email threat protection combines multiple detection engines, behavioral analysis, and threat intelligence to identify and neutralize malicious emails before they cause damage. The solution operates as an intelligent gatekeeper that analyzes message content, scans attachments and links, inspects sender behavior, and uses AI to detect suspicious patterns.
Benefits of email threat protection
Blocks advanced attack vectors
Email threat protection stops sophisticated attacks that slip past traditional defenses. With users falling for phishing emails in under 60 seconds, there’s no time to rely on humans alone. [3] Email security tools use advanced analytics to catch AI-generated phishing threats, business email compromise, and polymorphic malware that constantly changes to avoid detection.
Reduces the human element
Employees make split-second decisions about email safety dozens of times daily. Email threat protection removes that burden by automatically quarantining suspicious messages and providing clear warnings about potential threats. The system analyzes communication patterns and sender behavior to flag anomalies that human recipients might miss.
Protects data and intellectual property
Outbound email monitoring prevents accidental or intentional data leaks. The technology scans outgoing messages for sensitive information patterns, enforces encryption policies, and blocks unauthorized file transfers. Data loss prevention capabilities identify financial records, personal information, and proprietary data before it leaves your organization.
Provides visibility and insights into attack trends
Knowing the enemy is half the battle. Email threat protection gives your security team clear visibility into what’s happening. Dashboards and reports highlight attack patterns, targeted users, and emerging threats, which helps you stay ahead and respond faster.
Supports integration with broader security tools
Email protection isn’t an island — it works best when it connects with endpoint, cloud, and identity security systems. This unified approach closes gaps, streamlines threat detection, and accelerates incident response.
Challenges and Considerations
Even strong email protection comes with a few challenges. Below are some of the key considerations you should be prepared to navigate.
AI-powered attacks test detection limits
Cybercriminals now use AI to craft hyper-realistic, context-aware phishing messages. OpenText’s 2025 Cybersecurity Threat Report shows business malware infections have jumped 28.5% as attackers leverage AI and large language models.[4] Email defenses relying on static rules and known signatures struggle against these tailored threats. Organizations need email protection with machine learning and behavioral analysis — or risk missing today’s most advanced attacks.
False positives can disrupt operations
Overly aggressive or inaccurate email protection blocks legitimate communications and frustrates users. When adopting a solution, you’ll need to ensure that it balances security effectiveness with operational efficiency, particularly when dealing with urgent business communications or external partner correspondence.
Integration complexity with existing infrastructure
Email threat protection needs to fit smoothly with your email servers, security gateways, identity management, and collaboration tools. Organizations often struggle with deployment complexity when connecting multiple security tools or migrating from legacy email systems.
User training remains critical
Technology can’t catch every threat — people are still the last line of defense. That’s why ongoing training is key, helping employees spot the tricks behind today’s smarter, more personalized attacks. No matter how strong your email protection is, keeping your team aware makes all the difference.
How Email Threat Protection Works
Email protection uses a combination of techniques to catch threats before they reach your users. Here’s how the best solutions do it:
Multi-layered threat detection
Email threat protection uses several layers of scanning to catch threats. It analyzes sender reputation using global threat intelligence, scans attachments in isolated sandbox environments, and evaluates embedded URLs against real-time deny lists. Behind the scenes, machine learning spots patterns matching known attacks, while behavioral analysis flags unusual activity that might mean an account has been compromised.
Real-time content analysis
The technology dissects every part of an email. Advanced systems unzip compressed files and embedded objects to spot malicious content hiding inside. They even use image recognition to scan pictures for harmful code, while natural language processing helps detect suspicious tone or urgency, which are common tricks in social engineering attacks.
Behavioral baselines and anomaly detection
Email threat protection establishes normal communication patterns for each user and domain. The system tracks sending frequency, recipient lists, message timing, and content types to create behavioral profiles. When communications deviate significantly from established patterns, such as unusual after-hours activity or requests for sensitive information, the technology flags these anomalies for review.
Threat Intelligence Integration
Modern email protection taps into threat data from a wide range of sources, such as security vendors, government agencies, and industry-specific feeds. This constant stream of intelligence keeps detection systems up to date in real time.
URL and attachment sandboxing
When an email contains a suspicious file or link, sandboxing opens it in a secure, isolated environment. The system analyzes how the content behaves, such as checking for malware execution, credential theft, or connections to known malicious domains. This helps detect threats that are hidden behind seemingly harmless files or URLs.
What You Should Look for in Email Threat Protection
- Advanced threat detection
Look for capabilities that include behavioral analysis, machine learning detection, and sandboxing technology to catch phishing, BEC, malware, and zero-day attacks beyond basic filters. - Real-time URL and attachment scanning
Your ideal solution should leverage techniques like sandboxing and reputation checks to analyze URLs and file attachments before they reach your users. - Threat intelligence integration
The platform should pull in live data from global sources to stay updated on the latest attack techniques. - Low false positive rate
Conduct and evaluation to ensure the solution accurately blocks threats without disrupting legitimate communications or business workflows. - User awareness features
Look for built-in tools that help your employees recognize and report threats. - Seamless integration
The solution should work smoothly with your existing email platform, identity systems, and broader security stack. - Comprehensive reporting
Look for detailed dashboards and reports that give you visibility into attack trends, user targeting, and system performance. - Threat hunting forensics
The solution should provide investigative tools that help your security team dig deeper into attacks and uncover hidden threats.
Conclusion
Email threat protection is a strategic security imperative. Organizations need a robust solution that defends against inbound threats and prevents outbound data loss while fitting smoothly into your existing security operations.
The right email protection investment delivers measurable returns: reduced breach risks, streamlined compliance efforts, and uninterrupted business continuity. Most importantly, it preserves the communication channels that drive revenue, maintain customer relationships, and keep your organization competitive.
Discover how OpenText Email Security stops advanced threats.
[1] OpenText Cybersecurity 2024 Global Ransomware Survey
[2] OpenText Cybersecurity 2024 Global Ransomware Survey
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