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Proofpoint Core Email Protection

Advanced protection for email accounts

Proofpoint Core Email Protection, a core component of the integrated Proofpoint Human-Centric Security platform, provides extensive protection, covering all stages of email attacks (before delivery, at the time of linking, and after the message has arrived in the inbox). The solution protects against the most varied cyber threats, including those transmitted through spam and graymail, by integrating advanced automatic detection and remediation functions. Thus, it ensures an average increase of 30% in detection efficiency for new customers. Powered by Proofpoint Nexus AI, which analyzes more than 3 trillion emails globally annually, it offers unparalleled visibility and rapid responsiveness.

Solution overview

Email remains the main attack vector for organizations. Proofpoint Core Email Protection automatically blocks even the most sophisticated threats before they affect infrastructure or sensitive data. These include Business Email Compromise (BEC), ransomware, Account Takeover (ATO), QR code phishing, and side phishing. Adaptive Email Security is an Integrated Cloud Email Security (ICES) solution that extends the functionalities of Core Email Protection through advanced detection based on Behavioral Artificial Intelligence (Behavioral AI). Recognized as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms, Proofpoint Email Protection stands out for the following features:

  • Significantly reduce remediation time using language models, relationship graphs, machine learning, and computer vision (CV).
  • It uses behavioral and content analytics, deep learning, and natural language processing (NLP), evaluating more than 250 metrics for each email.
  • It detects and blocks both sophisticated attacks and unwanted content such as bulk emails and viruses, ensuring complete protection against threats, including emerging ones.
  • It protects from the first signs of malicious activity, through technologies such as signature-based detection, which blocks known threats, and dynamic reputation analysis, which assesses the reputation of local and global IPs in real time.
  • Provides access to 60 types of real-time reports that provide detailed visibility into email flow and trends of new threats.
  • It prevents accidental or intentional data loss and integrates with leading solutions such as CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Networks, maximizing automated responses to threats and optimizing the work of security teams.

Main functionalities

Proofpoint Core Email Protection works based on the following mechanisms:

Proofpoint Nexus AI

Advanced threat intelligence platform, which combines technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, behavioral analysis, visual threat detection, and cyber threat data. By integrating them into a unified system, Nexus provides an adaptive and intelligent email-level defense capable of quickly identifying and responding to evolving threats.

TOAD Protection

Email Protection provides protection against Telephone Oriented Attack Delivery (TOAD) or phone call phishing/callback phishing attacks by leveraging the Machine Learning and Computer Vision engines in the Nexus AI platform. Attacks are detected and blocked by identifying dangerous behaviors (malicious phone numbers, QR codes, and images designed to mimic legitimate entities).

Business Email Compromise (BEC) Protection

Leverages the Nexus platform's relationship graph and language model engines to AI-use the relationships between senders and recipients and the content of messages. It also checks for discrepancies in email headers, sender behavior, and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) feedback to effectively identify and block sophisticated BEC attacks. These are all the more difficult to identify as they involve "zero payload" (they do not include malicious links or attachments).

URL & Malware Protection

Uses advanced technologies such as predictive sandboxing (testing the behavior of files/links in a virtual isolated environment), URL extraction (automatic extraction and analysis of URLs from emails), evasion detection (detection of attempts to evade filtering/security systems), and browser isolation (opening links in secure environments) to block threats before they reach the user.

Automatic protection

The solution automatically analyzes all emails, both those sent from outside and inside the organization, with all sources being scanned for indicators of compromise. The system automatically activates adaptive protection measures if anomalies are detected in internal communication, in order to prevent Account Takeover attacks.

Automated Quarantine Post-Delivery

If a malicious post-delivery email is detected, Proofpoint Core Email Protection automatically moves it from the user's inbox to quarantine, preventing it from being accessed. The solution similarly monitors forwarded emails and those sent through distribution lists (contact groups).

Click time protection

Email Protection automatically rewrites all links in emails. Even when a user clicks on a rewritten link, the system double-checks it in real-time. If it is dangerous, browser isolation and sandboxing functions are activated, automatically blocking malware and credential theft attempts.

Add-on module - Adaptive Email Security

This module detects internal phishing attacks, by identifying abnormal volumes of messages and deviations from historical communication patterns. This module includes:

Real-Time User Coaching

Adaptive Email Security displays contextual warning banners in Outlook and webmail, displaying clear reasons why an email may be dangerous, providing real-time guidance. At the same time, it helps users avoid sending to the wrong recipient or with incorrect attachment.

Post delivery response via TAP & Threat Response Auto Pull (TRAP)

Provides forensic details and visibility into attacks. TRAP can automatically or one-click quarantine/delete malicious emails, even if they have been forwarded or received by other users.

Implementation alternatives

Proofpoint Core Email Protection offers flexible deployment alternatives tailored to the diverse email security needs of any organization. The solution is available in two main variants:

  • SEG (Secure Email Gateway) – recommended for on-premises (e.g. Exchange Server) or hybrid (on-premises + Microsoft 365/Google Workspace) email deployments. All email and traffic are redirected to Proofpoint through an intermediary gateway, positioned between the Internet and the email service’s server. This allows Proofpoint to intercept and filter emails in real-time before they reach users. It includes protection before and after email delivery, as well as Click time protection.
  • API Based – ideal for cloud-based email deployments, such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace. In this variant, there is no need to change the mail flow through gateways. Proofpoint connects directly to the email platform via API to monitor, detect, and act directly on messages in your inbox. This alternative allows for automated threat response, simplified security investigations, and access to risk intelligence.

Both SEG and API deployments use Proofpoint’s advanced detection engines to protect against complex threats. The solution is also available in the form of packages, which start from the basic functionalities offered by Core Email Protection and can be extended with various advanced options.

Main benefits of the solution

The solution brings the following benefits:

Guaranteed performance in the cloud

Proofpoint Email Protection offers high-performance protection with 99,999% service availability, a 99% spam blocking rate, full antivirus protection (100%), and fast email delivery with sub-minute latency.

Advanced control and accurate email classification

Multilingual analytics provide protection against threats and unwanted messages in almost any language. The solution sorts incoming messages into separate quarantines based on the type of attack, providing granular control over the flow of emails.

Effective graymail management

Advanced big data analytics techniques accurately identify graymail emails and route them to a separate, low-priority inbox. Thus, the congestion of the inbox is reduced, and users can manage these messages individually, transferring them to the main inbox or to quarantine, depending on their preferences.

Advanced flexibility in defining security policies

The solution's policy engine allows for the creation of custom rules at the global, group, or individual level, adapting to the requirements of organizations of any size. Thanks to the extensive deep content inspection capabilities, acceptable-use policies (AUP) can be easily applied.

Email Continuity

Proofpoint Email Protection ensures uninterrupted email communication, even when email platforms' servers are unavailable in the cloud. This "always-on" functionality guarantees business continuity, and once the service is restored, all sent and received emails are automatically synchronized with the server.

Message Tracing

It provides quick and detailed access to email logs through a powerful search engine, allowing easy identification of complex information based on various search criteria.

Personalized control for users

It gives employees the ability to manage their email preferences (quarantines, personal safe/blocked sender lists, bulk email delivery), including the option to opt-in or unsubscribe from various spam policies. All these services are easy to customize to provide a familiar experience for users, and support for multiple languages allows for global deployment.

Fast integration with Microsoft 365

Adaptive Email Security integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 and doesn't require email rerouting. The historical learning process completes in 48 hours, allowing threats to be blocked in just a few days.

Services provided by Safetech Innovations

Safetech Innovations offers complete services for the efficient installation and use of the Proofpoint Core Email Protection solution, both in SEG and API mode. We provide configuration for use with cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid email platforms, as well as integration with other security solutions.

Our services include:

Requirements analysis and system design

Requirements analysis and system design

Evaluating the client's objectives and project requirements and constraints (hardware, software and infrastructure), developing a list of mandatory or recommended updates, planning a schedule for installation and configuration activities, as well as determining the human resources required for implementation and operation.

Implementation

Implementation

Delivery and installation of the solution, testing, implementation and optimization of the integrated system by: reviewing network and system settings, configuring product functionalities, configuring email routing, configuring user import via LDAP/LDAPS or Hosted File Transfer, as well as moving to production. The stage includes training system administrators on how to use the solution, providing product documentation, support and usage guide.

Technical support and service

Technical support and service

Dedicated technical support and service to guarantee operational continuity and optimal system performance.

With 14 years of activity, over 600 completed projects and a team of over 30 experts, Safetech Innovations is one of the most experienced cyber security companies in Romania. Choosing Safetech’s systems integration services ensures you reduce the risks of implementation, customization, scalability and flexibility, post-implementation support.

We completely manage the cyber security of clients, from the analysis of existing or potential threats/vulnerabilities and the assessment of risks and business impact, to the implementation of the necessary solutions in order to achieve an optimal level of security.

In the long term, we ensure continuous monitoring of events and response to cyber security incidents.

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