Transport layer security for email (TLS) is the cryptographic protocol that encrypts the connection between mail servers as email travels across the internet. Without TLS, email is transmitted in plaintext, readable by anyone who can intercept the network traffic along the delivery path. TLS 1.2 and TLS 1.3 are the current recommended versions. TLS protects…
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email standard that displays a verified brand logo next to authenticated emails in the recipient’s inbox. It requires DMARC enforcement at p=quarantine or p=reject, confirms the email genuinely comes from the claimed brand, and provides brand visibility in the inbox before the email is even opened. If…
Email server security covers the configuration, hardening, and monitoring controls that protect the server responsible for sending, receiving, and storing email. Default configurations in Exchange, Postfix, Exim, and Sendmail are rarely secure without deliberate hardening. Organizations running self-hosted mail servers carry full responsibility for SMTP security, relay restrictions, TLS setup, and ongoing vulnerability patching. Most…
A secure email gateway filters email before delivery by routing inbound traffic through the gateway via an MX record change. API-based email security connects to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace post-delivery via Microsoft Graph API or Google Workspace API, scanning email already in the inbox and removing threats retroactively. Each approach defends against different threats…
Google Workspace email security is strong by default but not complete out of the box. Google’s AI-powered filters block over 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware across more than 3 billion Gmail accounts in real time. However, DMARC is absent on most new tenants, critical admin settings are disabled at setup, and sophisticated BEC attacks…
The core categories of email security best practice are authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), gateway filtering, multi-factor authentication, encryption, employee awareness, and incident response. These are the essential controls every organization should have in place in 2026, organized so you can audit exactly where your gaps are. If your last email security review happened years ago…
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Email Security is an annual analyst report that evaluates and positions email security vendors across two axes: Ability to Execute (vertical) and Completeness of Vision (horizontal). IT decision-makers use it to shortlist vendors and justify procurement decisions to leadership. The full report requires a paid Gartner subscription; many vendors publish…
The best email security solution in 2026 depends on your primary threat concerns and email platform. Leading options include Proofpoint for enterprise threat intelligence, Abnormal Security for AI-powered BEC detection, Mimecast for integrated archiving and continuity, and Microsoft Defender for Microsoft 365 environments. Most mature security programmes now combine a gateway-based and an API-based tool…
Email encryption scrambles an email’s content into unreadable text so only someone with the correct digital key can read it. Most email is already encrypted in transit between mail servers automatically, with no action needed from you. Stronger end-to-end encryption, where even your email provider cannot read the content, requires both sender and recipient to…
Graymail is bulk email that recipients technically consented to receive at some point but no longer find relevant or want. It sits between legitimate personal email and unwanted spam: not malicious, but no longer valued. The sender has a prior relationship with the recipient. Studies suggest up to 40% of all corporate email volume could…