The $4.8M Reason Why Your Business Can't Afford to Ignore Email Security

In today's digital landscape, your company's email server isn't just a communication tool—it's one of the primary targets for cyberattacks. Phishing, malware, and ransomware often find their first entry point through a seemingly innocent email. For businesses of all sizes, protecting this critical vector isn't just an IT task; it's a fundamental business necessity. Here are a few reasons you cannot ignore email secrty:

• An estimated 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent every day. This accounts for approximately 1.2% of all global email traffic.

• It is estimated that 1 in every 412 emails globally is a phishing attempt.

• 57% of organizations report facing phishing scams on a daily basis.

• While still an emerging trend, by mid-2024, an estimated 40% of BEC phishing emails were AI-generated, making them more convincing and harder to detect.

• There has been a significant rise in "quishing," with a 70% increase in conversation hijacking since 2022 and 1 in 20 mailboxes being targeted with QR code attacks in late 2023.

• A concerning 80% of phishing websites now use HTTPS to appear legitimate and trustworthy to unsuspecting users.

• Attackers frequently impersonate well-known brands. In 2024, over half of malicious emails were disguised as communications from major companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.

• The average cost of a data breach in 2024 soared to $4.88 million, marking a nearly 10% increase from the previous year.

• The financial toll of phishing attacks is relentless, with losses amounting to an estimated $17,700 every minute

Here's how the two giants stack up:

Feature	Gmail	Outlook
Phishing Protection	Advanced detection to identify and flag phishing attempts.	Scans links and attachments for phishing scams, with enhanced features for Microsoft 365 subscribers.
Two-Factor Authentication	Supported via Google Authenticator, security keys, and phone prompts.	Supported via Microsoft Authenticator, SMS codes, and other methods.
End-to-End Encryption	Not natively supported. Requires third-party tools.	Offers S/MIME and Microsoft Purview Message Encryption, especially for business users.
Attachment Scanning	Automatically scans attachments for malware and viruses.	Scans attachments for malware, with more advanced detection for Microsoft 365 subscribers.
Privacy	Scans emails to provide targeted ads in the free version.	Pledges not to scan emails for advertising purposes.

That's why at LTS Group, we consistently recommend the advanced security stack built into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Microsoft has invested billions into creating a security platform that is both powerful and seamlessly integrated, providing a formidable defense for your most sensitive data. Let's break down the key benefits.

1. Proactive Defense with Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)

Simply reacting to threats is no longer enough. Microsoft's security philosophy is built on proactive defense, and its Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) features, now part of Microsoft Defender for Office 365, are a testament to this approach.

• Safe Links: How many times have you hesitated before clicking a link? ATP Safe Links takes the guesswork out of the equation. It scans URLs in real-time when a user clicks them. If a link leads to a malicious site, Microsoft blocks it and alerts the user. This "time-of-click" protection is crucial for defending against sophisticated phishing campaigns where malicious sites are activated after an email is delivered.

• Safe Attachments: Malicious attachments are a classic attack method. ATP Safe Attachments addresses this by opening every suspicious attachment in a "detonation chamber"—a secure, virtual environment. The attachment is analyzed for malicious behavior before it ever reaches your employee's inbox. If it's deemed unsafe, it's quarantined, completely neutralizing the threat.

2. Superior Anti-Phishing and Spam Filtering

Junk mail isn't just an annoyance; it's a security risk. Microsoft employs a multi-layered filtering system powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning to keep your inboxes clean and safe. This system analyzes countless signals from a global network to identify and block:

• Spam: Over 99% of spam is blocked before it ever consumes your team's time.

• Phishing Attempts: Sophisticated impersonation and spoofing detection identifies emails pretending to be from trusted sources, including internal executives (a technique known as Business Email Compromise).

• Malware: Known and emerging malware threats are identified and blocked at the network edge.

3. Seamless Integration with the Microsoft 365 Ecosystem

One of the greatest strengths of Microsoft's security suite is its native integration. Security isn't a bolt-on product; it's woven into the fabric of applications your team uses every day, like Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams. This deep integration allows for unified security policies and a centralized management hub through the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. From one dashboard, your IT team can monitor threats, investigate incidents, and manage policies across your entire digital estate, reducing complexity and closing security gaps.

4. Advanced Encryption and Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Protecting sensitive information is paramount. Microsoft Purview Message Encryption allows you to send encrypted emails to anyone, inside or outside your organization, ensuring that only the intended recipient can read the message. Furthermore, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies help prevent the accidental or malicious sharing of sensitive information. DLP can automatically identify credit card numbers, social security numbers, and other confidential data within emails and attachments. Based on policies you set, it can block the email from being sent, require manager approval, or automatically encrypt the message, giving you granular control over your data.

Partner with LTS Group to Secure Your Business

Navigating the complexities of modern cybersecurity can be daunting. The suite of tools available within Microsoft 365 provides an unparalleled defense for your organization, but unlocking its full potential requires expert configuration and management. At LTS Group, we specialize in deploying and managing Microsoft security solutions. We help our clients build a security posture that protects them from today's threats and prepares them for tomorrow's. Contact us today to learn how we can fortify your business with the power of Microsoft email security. www.lts-grp.com