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CybersecTools

Enterprise security solutions for security teams and CISOs. Shortlists and product data. Market data and API access: Mandos.

Operated by Mandos Cyber · KVK 97994448 · VAT NL005301434B12 · 124, 1230 AC Loosdrecht, Netherlands · © 2026 All rights reserved

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  3. Email Security Platforms
  4. Best Email Security Solutions for Business (2026)
Email & Messaging Security shortlists:Email DLPEmail SecurityAll Email & Messaging Security solutions

Email Security Platforms

Best Email Security Solutions for Business (2026)

Compare 7 email security solutions, like Proofpoint, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Mimecast, on phishing, BEC and malware protection and tuning effort.

We pick every solution on this list on merit. Featured vendors that made the list are shown first.

Fall 2026 edition.

Updated 2026-11-01.12 min read

Reviewed by Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze. Updated 2026-11-01.

Summarize withClaudeChatGPTGeminiPerplexityGrokMarkdown
Best Email Security Solutions for Business (2026). Logos of Proofpoint Core Email Protection, Microsoft Defender for Offic...

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  • Executive summary
  • How we evaluated
  • What is Email Security Platforms
  • The shortlist
  • 1Proofpoint Core Email Protection
  • 2Microsoft Defender for Office 365
  • 3Mimecast Advanced Email Security
  • 4Abnormal Inbound Email Security
  • 5Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
  • 6Broadcom Symantec Email Security
  • 7Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security
  • CISO checklist for selecting an Email Security Platforms product
  • Other solutions we considered for this shortlist
  • Conclusion
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Sources

Executive summary

As of November 2026, CybersecTools tracks 104 companies that sell email & messaging security solutions as their main business. Email Security Platforms is part of that family. The largest groups are based in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. In the last 12 months they raised $69M across 6 funding rounds, 2 companies were acquired and 13 new companies started in the last two years.

From that field we chose seven solutions that stop phishing, business email compromise and malware before they reach your staff. Proofpoint Core Email Protection suits large companies that want deep filtering, one-click removal of bad mail and reports on who gets attacked most. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 fits teams on Microsoft 365, because it works inside the mail system they already run and may come with their license. Mimecast suits companies that want a full gateway with clear message tracking and quarantine.

The main choice is between a gateway and an API product. Gateways such as Proofpoint, Mimecast, Broadcom Symantec and FortiMail sit in front of your mail and filter it before delivery. API products such as Abnormal connect to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and judge each message by how people normally write. Many teams now run one of each.

Ask each vendor how much tuning it needs to keep false positives down, because that effort decides your daily workload.

How we evaluated

We looked at 120 email security platforms solutions from 81 companies, and the 7 on this page made the cut. We combined our judgment from years of leading enterprise security programs with market data from Mandos, our market intelligence platform, and with the vendor and review pages listed under Sources at the end of this page. For customer feedback, we left out paid reviews, reviews by vendor staff or partners, review campaigns and anything older than two years, so you get an accurate view of what customers say.

Four traits mattered most: catching phishing and payment fraud with few false positives; protection for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace; removing bad mail after delivery; and links to your SIEM and SOAR. We left out DMARC-only products, mail servers and managed resale services. The order follows how widely each product is used by teams like yours. Company momentum shows how the vendor itself is growing, so a market leader can rank first with a lower score.

Read the full method · See all sources

What is Email Security Platforms

Email security products protect your mail from phishing, business email compromise, malware and spam. Some sit in front of your mail as a gateway and filter every message before delivery. Others connect to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace through an API, watch messages inside the mailbox and pull out threats after delivery.

This matters because email is still the most common way attacks start. One convincing message can lead to stolen logins, a fake payment or ransomware. Email security catches most of these before a person has to decide, and it lets your team remove a bad message from every mailbox at once.

Compare Email Security Platforms solutions

This analysis focuses on seven email security solutions. The table compares them on vendor, who each one is best for, deployment model and the NIST CSF functions they cover.

  1. 1.
    Proofpoint Core Email Protection logo

    Proofpoint Core Email Protection

    Best for: Large companies wanting deep email filtering

    Starting price: Contact sales

    Cloud · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Protect, Detect

  2. 2.
    Microsoft Defender for Office 365 logo

    Microsoft Defender for Office 365

    Best for: Teams running Microsoft 365

    Starting price: From $2 per user per month

    Cloud · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Protect, Detect, Respond

  3. 3.
    Mimecast Advanced Email Security logo

    Mimecast Advanced Email Security

    Best for: Companies wanting a full gateway with clear tracking

    Starting price: Contact sales

    Hybrid · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Protect, Detect

  4. 4.
    Abnormal Inbound Email Security logo

    Abnormal Inbound Email Security

    Best for: Microsoft 365 or Google teams fighting BEC

    Starting price: Contact sales

    Cloud · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Detect

  5. 5.
    Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense logo

    Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

    Best for: Cisco shops wanting Talos-backed filtering

    Starting price: Contact sales

    Cloud · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Detect, Respond

  6. 6.
    Broadcom Symantec Email Security logo

    Broadcom Symantec Email Security

    Best for: Large companies needing cloud and on-premises mail

    Starting price: Contact sales

    Hybrid · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Protect, Detect, Respond

  7. 7.
    Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security logo

    Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security

    Best for: Fortinet customers and on-premises mail servers

    Starting price: Contact sales

    Hybrid · SMB to Enterprise · NIST: Protect, Detect

SolutionBest forStarting priceDeploymentCompany sizeNIST CSF functions
Proofpoint Core Email Protection logo
Proofpoint Core Email Protection
Large companies wanting deep email filteringContact salesCloudSMB to EnterpriseProtect, Detect
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 logo
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Teams running Microsoft 365From $2 per user per monthCloudSMB to EnterpriseProtect, Detect, Respond
Mimecast Advanced Email Security logo
Mimecast Advanced Email Security
Companies wanting a full gateway with clear trackingContact salesHybridSMB to EnterpriseProtect, Detect
Abnormal Inbound Email Security logo
Abnormal Inbound Email Security
Microsoft 365 or Google teams fighting BECContact salesCloudSMB to EnterpriseDetect
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense logo
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
Cisco shops wanting Talos-backed filteringContact salesCloudSMB to EnterpriseDetect, Respond
Broadcom Symantec Email Security logo
Broadcom Symantec Email Security
Large companies needing cloud and on-premises mailContact salesHybridSMB to EnterpriseProtect, Detect, Respond
Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security logo
Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security
Fortinet customers and on-premises mail serversContact salesHybridSMB to EnterpriseProtect, Detect

Vendors change prices, so check before you buy.

See every Email Security Platforms solution we list

The full Email Security Platforms market, filtered by company size, deployment and NIST coverage.

Browse Email Security Platforms solutions →

1.Proofpoint Core Email Protection

Proofpoint57/100

Email security platform with AI-based threat detection and DLP capabilities

🇺🇸Sunnyvale, United StatesFounded 2002$86M raised

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • FedRAMP
  • PCI DSS
  • FIPS 140
  • CSA STAR

Best for: Large companies wanting deep email filtering

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Proofpoint
Headquarters
Sunnyvale, United States
Founded
2002
Deployment
Cloud
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Protect, Detect
Pricing
Contact sales

Funding, hiring and news for Proofpoint on Mandos.

Our take +

Proofpoint Core Email Protection uses AI to detect phishing, business email compromise and malware, and it adds account takeover protection and email fraud defense. The wider Proofpoint platform adds email DLP, encryption, archiving and security awareness training, so many large companies buy several parts together.

It protects Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace and can pull bad mail out of every mailbox after delivery.

It earns a place because it goes past filtering into DLP, encryption, archiving and fraud defense from one vendor, which suits a large company that wants to run email security as one program. Archiving and supervision for SEC and FINRA rules matter if you work in financial services. Weigh which parts you really need, because the whole platform is a bigger commitment than a filter.

Proofpoint Core Email Protection main features +
  • AI-based email threat detection and prevention
  • Phishing and business email compromise protection
  • Adaptive email DLP with machine learning
  • Email encryption with policy-based controls
  • Account takeover protection
  • CASB for cloud application security
  • Email fraud defense and DMARC compliance
  • Insider threat management
Proofpoint Core Email Protection main integrations +
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Strong filtering of spam, phishing and fraud
  • One-click removal of bad mail from every mailbox
  • Reports on the people attacked most often

Ask in the demo

  • List which Proofpoint modules you need and price them together
  • Ask how much tuning a typical rollout needs
  • Check how it works alongside Microsoft 365's own filtering

2.Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Microsoft59/100

Email and collaboration security for Microsoft 365 environments

🇺🇸Redmond, United StatesFounded 1975Public company

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • FedRAMP
  • PCI DSS
  • HIPAA

Best for: Teams running Microsoft 365

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Microsoft
Headquarters
Redmond, United States
Founded
1975
Ownership
Public company (MSFT)
Deployment
Cloud
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Protect, Detect, Respond
Starting price
From $2 per user per month

Funding, hiring and news for Microsoft on Mandos.

Our take +

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 protects mail and collaboration inside Microsoft 365. It checks links and attachments in real time, including QR codes, uses AI to spot business email compromise and scams, and can investigate and remediate threats automatically.

It covers mail as well as Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive, and it can disable compromised users and remove bad mail after delivery.

It is on the list because it is built into Microsoft 365, and many companies already own it through their license, so the buying question is often settled before you start. That makes it the natural first layer if you run Microsoft 365. Decide whether it covers your risk alone or needs a second product beside it, since it is built to work with other email security products.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 main features +
  • AI-powered sentiment analysis
  • Inline user protection
  • BEC attack disruption
  • Security posture optimization
  • Priority account support
  • Awareness and training
  • Investigation and hunting
  • Automated response and remediation
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 main integrations +
  • Darktrace /EMAIL
  • KnowBe4 Defend
  • Proofpoint Core Email Protection
  • VIPRE Integrated Email Security
What customers say+
Sentiment83% positive · 11% mixed · 6% negative
Most praised:
Speed, Integrations
Most criticized:
False positives, Setup

Defender for Office 365 runs inside Microsoft 365, so teams protect mail, Teams and OneDrive without buying a separate email gateway. Customers credit Safe Links and Safe Attachments with stopping phishing before users click, and the automatic investigation cuts the manual work after an alert. The catch is tuning, because the policies take time to set up and safe mail sometimes gets flagged, so someone has to review it by hand. Some also find that phishing and spam still slip through at times.

Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Built into Microsoft 365, no extra gateway
  • Real-time checks on links, attachments and QR codes
  • Automatic investigation and remediation

Ask in the demo

  • Check whether your license includes Plan 1 or Plan 2
  • Plan who will own policy tuning
  • Test detection of business email compromise in a pilot

3.Mimecast Advanced Email Security

Mimecast54/100

Email security platform protecting M365 & Google Workspace from threats

🇬🇧London, United KingdomFounded 2003$90M raised

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • FedRAMP
  • PCI DSS
  • HIPAA
  • TISAX

Best for: Companies wanting a full gateway with clear tracking

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Mimecast
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom
Founded
2003
Deployment
Hybrid
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Protect, Detect
Starting price
Contact sales

Funding, hiring and news for Mimecast on Mandos.

Our take +

Mimecast Advanced Email Security combines machine learning, social graphing and sandboxing to block phishing, impersonation and malware. It rewrites links to check them at click time, spots QR code phishing and uses computer vision to catch brand impersonation.

It protects Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and on-premises mail, and it connects to CrowdStrike, Netskope, Palo Alto Networks XSOAR, Cybereason, Datadog and Jira.

It earns its place because you can run it as a gateway or through an API, and archiving and continuity sit in the same platform, which suits a company with a mixed mail setup. Social graphing and computer vision aim at impersonation, not only malware. Weigh whether you need the archive and continuity parts, since they change how much of your mail flow depends on one vendor.

Mimecast Advanced Email Security main features +
  • AI and machine learning-based threat detection
  • Social graphing for anomaly detection
  • Sandboxing for malware analysis
  • URL on-click protection
  • Computer vision for brand impersonation detection
  • Contextual email banners for risk assessment
  • QR code phishing detection
  • Business email compromise protection
Mimecast Advanced Email Security main integrations +
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
  • CrowdStrike
  • Netskope
  • Palo Alto Networks XSOAR
  • Axonius
  • Code42
  • Cybereason
  • Graylog
  • Gurucul
  • Hunters
  • Intezer
Show all 31Show fewer
  • Jira
  • BambooHR
  • Box
  • Cribl
  • Cyware
  • Datadog
  • Fortinet
  • Webex
  • Devo
  • Duo
  • Elastic
  • Exabeam
  • LogRhythm
  • Logpoint
  • XM Cyber
  • Anomali
  • CyberArk
  • D3 Security
  • Arctic Wolf
What customers say+
Sentiment85% positive · 15% mixed · 0% negative
Most praised:
Speed, Ease of use, Reports
Most criticized:
Interface, Setup

Customers rely on it to stop phishing, spam and malware before mail reaches the inbox, and several single out how it catches impersonation emails and harmful links. Admins also like message tracking, because they can trace where a message went when something is questioned. The catch is the admin side, since the console takes time to learn and setup can feel clunky.

Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Clear message tracking and quarantine
  • Link checks at click time and QR code detection
  • Wide set of security product connections

Ask in the demo

  • Ask how long admins usually take to learn the console
  • Check which features each package includes
  • Test false positive rates on your own mail

4.Abnormal Inbound Email Security

Abnormal Security71/100

AI-powered email security platform detecting advanced threats via behavioral analysis

🇺🇸San Francisco, United StatesFounded 2018$534M raised

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • FedRAMP

Best for: Microsoft 365 or Google teams fighting BEC

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Abnormal Security
Headquarters
San Francisco, United States
Founded
2018
Deployment
Cloud
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Detect
Pricing
Contact sales

Funding, hiring and news for Abnormal Security on Mandos.

Our take +

Abnormal Inbound Email Security connects to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace through an API in one click, with no change to mail routing. It learns who normally writes to whom and how, then flags messages that break the pattern. That helps catch payment and vendor fraud that contain no links or malware.

It removes malicious mail automatically and explains each verdict with evidence. It connects to Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk, QRadar, Rapid7, Cortex XSOAR and Torq.

It belongs here as the API option, because it judges each message against normal behavior and needs no rules to maintain. That suits you if vendor and payment fraud worry you more than mass malware. Since it does not sit in the mail path, decide whether you pair it with a gateway or with the filtering your mail platform already has.

Abnormal Inbound Email Security main features +
  • Behavioral AI analyzing identity, behavior, and content signals across email and SaaS platforms
  • One-click API integration for deployment without inline configuration
  • Automated detection and remediation of malicious emails to reduce SOC workload
  • Business email compromise (BEC) detection through sender relationship and communication history analysis
  • Vendor email compromise (VEC) detection monitoring partner behavior and flagging anomalies
  • Explainable outcomes with contextual evidence and behavioral metadata for every threat
  • Customizable risk thresholds, remediation actions, and quarantine workflows
  • Unified console consolidating Microsoft and Abnormal detections for centralized management
Abnormal Inbound Email Security main integrations +
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft Sentinel
  • Splunk
  • QRadar
  • Rapid7
  • Splunk SOAR
  • Cortex XSOAR
  • Torq
Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Behavioral detection of payment and vendor fraud
  • API setup with no mail routing changes
  • Automatic removal with explained verdicts

Ask in the demo

  • Ask how it works alongside your existing gateway
  • Run a trial on your own mailboxes to compare catches
  • Check pricing per mailbox at your size

Alternatives to each solution on this list

The closest Email Security Platforms alternatives for every pick, matched on features and integrations.

See Email Security Platforms alternatives →

5.Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense

Cisco59/100

Email threat protection for Microsoft 365 with advanced detection capabilities

🇺🇸San Jose, United StatesFounded 1984Public company

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • PCI DSS

Best for: Cisco shops wanting Talos-backed filtering

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Cisco
Headquarters
San Jose, United States
Founded
1984
Ownership
Public company (CSCO)
Deployment
Cloud
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Detect, Respond
Pricing
Contact sales

Funding, hiring and news for Cisco on Mandos.

Our take +

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense uses AI, natural language models and several detection engines backed by Cisco's Talos threat intelligence. It sorts threats by the part of the company they target and keeps searchable telemetry for investigations.

It can run as an API product for Microsoft 365 or, in its higher tier, add an inline gateway, both from one console.

It is on the list as a Microsoft 365 product that can grow with you: you start in API mode and add the inline gateway later, from the same console. That suits a team that already runs Cisco security. Check fit first if you run Google Workspace or your own mail servers, because the product is built for Microsoft 365.

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense main features +
  • AI and machine learning threat detection
  • Natural language processing models
  • Multiple parallel detection engines
  • Malicious technique identification
  • Searchable threat telemetry
  • Threat categorization by targeted part of the organization
  • Talos threat intelligence
  • Pre-delivery threat protection
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense main integrations +
  • Microsoft 365
What customers say+
Sentiment72% positive · 28% mixed · 0% negative
Most praised:
Speed

The threat intelligence behind it is what customers trust most, because it lets the product spot phishing, malware attachments and bad links and stop them before they reach inboxes. Teams also find it easy to manage, and they can tune the filtering rules to fit how their own company handles email.

Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Talos threat intelligence behind detection
  • API and gateway options in one console
  • Fine-grained rules for each message

Ask in the demo

  • Ask which tier includes the gateway
  • Check support coverage for your region
  • Plan time for regular tuning

6.Broadcom Symantec Email Security

Broadcom54/100

Enterprise email security platform for cloud and on-premise deployments

🇺🇸Palo Alto, United StatesFounded 1991Public company

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • FedRAMP
  • PCI DSS

Best for: Large companies needing cloud and on-premises mail

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Broadcom
Headquarters
Palo Alto, United States
Founded
1991
Ownership
Public company (AVGO)
Deployment
Hybrid
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Protect, Detect, Respond
Pricing
Contact sales

Funding, hiring and news for Broadcom on Mandos.

Our take +

Broadcom Symantec Email Security protects against ransomware, spear phishing and business email compromise in the cloud or on premises. It adds sandboxing, click-time URL checks, browser isolation for risky links and clawback of bad mail from Office 365.

It also watches outbound mail for sensitive data and supports Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.

It makes the list because it offers both a cloud service and an on-premises Messaging Gateway, as a virtual or physical appliance, which suits large companies that still run their own mail servers. Browser isolation opens risky links away from the user's machine. If you plan to move mail to the cloud, ask how your policies carry over from the gateway to the cloud service.

Broadcom Symantec Email Security main features +
  • Multilayered defense against ransomware, spear phishing, and BEC attacks
  • Cloud-based and on-premises deployment options
  • Cloud-based sandboxing for advanced threat detection
  • Click-time URL protection
  • Office 365 clawback and remediation
  • Web browser isolation
  • Outbound email monitoring and data protection
  • Sender authentication
Broadcom Symantec Email Security main integrations +
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Cloud and on-premises deployment
  • Browser isolation for risky links
  • Clawback of delivered threats

Ask in the demo

  • Ask about Broadcom's support model and renewal terms
  • Check which features each license tier includes
  • Test clawback speed in a pilot

7.Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security

Fortinet75/100

AI-powered email security platform protecting against phishing, BEC, and ATO

🇺🇸Sunnyvale, United StatesFounded 2000Public company

  • SOC 2
  • ISO 27001
  • FedRAMP
  • PCI DSS
  • HIPAA

Best for: Fortinet customers and on-premises mail servers

CompareAlternatives
At a glance +
Vendor
Fortinet
Headquarters
Sunnyvale, United States
Founded
2000
Ownership
Public company (FTNT)
Deployment
Hybrid
Company size
SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
NIST CSF
Protect, Detect
Pricing
Contact sales

Funding, hiring and news for Fortinet on Mandos.

Our take +

Fortinet FortiMail protects inbound and outbound mail with AI detection engines and real-time threat intelligence, and it adds data loss prevention and outbound encryption. It runs as a gateway or through an API for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and it supports multiple tenants for service providers.

It links to FortiSandbox, FortiSIEM and FortiSOAR through the Fortinet Security Fabric.

It belongs here because inbound and outbound protection, DLP and encryption come in one product that runs as a gateway or through an API, which suits companies that still host their own mail servers. Multi-tenancy and a managed incident response service help if a provider runs your email security. If you use no other Fortinet products, weigh how much of its value depends on that ecosystem.

Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security main features +
  • AI-powered email threat protection
  • Next-generation detection engines
  • Inbound email protection
  • Outbound email protection
  • Data loss prevention and outbound encryption
  • Real-time email threat intelligence
  • Early threat detection through pattern recognition
  • Managed incident response service
Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security main integrations +
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace
  • Exchange Online
What customers say+
Sentiment64% positive · 36% mixed · 0% negative
Most praised:
Ease of use, Integrations
Most criticized:
Reports, Interface

FortiMail sits in front of the mail server as a gateway, and customers say it stops spam, phishing and malware well, which makes bad mail quicker to deal with. Admins find it simple to run day to day, and it connects easily with other security products, so teams already on Fortinet can manage it alongside the rest.

Before you buy +

Where it is strong

  • Inbound and outbound protection with DLP
  • Gateway or API deployment
  • Fits other Fortinet products

Ask in the demo

  • Ask whether you need the gateway, the API option or both
  • Plan setup time if your team is new to mail flow
  • Check bundle pricing with your Fortinet contracts

How they fit your cybersecurity program (NIST CSF)

NIST CSF 2.0 has six functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. The grid shows which functions each pick maps to in our record, so you can see where a solution sits in your program and what it leaves to other controls.

Where each solution sits on NIST CSF 2.0

All 7 solutions map to Detect. 5 of 7 map to Protect. 3 of 7 map to Respond. None map to Govern, Identify or Recover.

Deployment:Company size:

Swipe the table sideways to see all six functions.

Solution
All solutions on this list0 of 70 of 75 of 77 of 73 of 70 of 7
Proofpoint Core Email Protection––3 of 52 of 2––
Microsoft Defender for Office 365––1 of 52 of 22 of 4–
Mimecast Advanced Email Security––1 of 52 of 2––
Abnormal Inbound Email Security–––2 of 2––
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense–––2 of 21 of 4–
Broadcom Symantec Email Security––2 of 52 of 21 of 4–
Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security––1 of 52 of 2––

A cell shows how many of that function's categories the solution maps to.

A product helps you reach these outcomes, but it does not make you compliant on its own. Your people and processes do the rest.

CISO checklist for selecting an Email Security Platforms product

I built this checklist from my own work researching, rolling out and reviewing products like these. I recommend you go through it before you sign.

Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze, Founder of CybersecTools and Mandos

Work through these steps in order to go from inbox risk to a contract you can defend.

9 checks

Your ticks stay in this browser. Nothing is sent to us.

Compare Email Security Platforms solutions side by side

Features, integrations, NIST coverage and deployment for every Email Security Platforms solution we list, in one table.

Compare Email Security Platforms solutions →

Other solutions we considered for this shortlist

We looked at 76 products for this list. These did not make the 7 above but are worth a look for the right team.

  1. 1.RavenMail

    Cloud-native AI email security platform with LLM-based threat detection and DLP.

  2. 2.Cloudflare Cloud Email Security · Cloudflare, Inc.

    Cloudflare Cloud Email Security is a cloud-based email protection service that safeguards organizations against phishing, malware, spam, and other email-borne threats through integrated threat detection and prevention capabilities.

  3. 3.OpenText Email Security · OpenText Cybersecurity

    Comprehensive email security platform protecting inbound/outbound communications

  4. 4.Trend Micro Trend Vision One™ · Trend Micro

    AI-powered email and collaboration security platform for threat detection

  5. 5.Darktrace Email Security · Darktrace

    AI-powered email security platform detecting threats across email and messaging

  6. 6.Kaseya 365 Advanced Threat Protection · Kaseya

    ATP solution for SaaS & email with AI-driven detection & auto-response

  7. 7.KnowBe4 Cloud Email Security · KnowBe4

    AI-driven email security platform for Microsoft 365 inbound/outbound threats

  8. 8.ESET Mail Security · ESET

    Email security for Microsoft Exchange servers with anti-spam and anti-malware

  9. 9.Sophos Email · Sophos

    Email security platform with phishing/BEC protection and MDR/XDR integration

Explore all Email Security Platforms solutions

Conclusion

Start with your mail platform and your biggest risk. If you run Microsoft 365, Defender for Office 365 may already be in your license, and Abnormal adds behavior-based fraud detection on top. If you want a full gateway, Proofpoint and Mimecast are long-time leaders, and Broadcom Symantec suits mixed cloud and on-premises mail.

Cisco fits teams that already rely on Cisco and Talos, and FortiMail suits Fortinet customers and companies running their own mail servers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Microsoft 365's built-in filtering enough?

It blocks a lot of spam and known malware, and Defender for Office 365 adds stronger phishing protection. Many companies still add another product to catch targeted phishing and payment fraud, so test against your own mail.

What is the difference between a secure email gateway and API email security?

A gateway sits in front of your mail and filters each message before delivery, which needs a change to mail routing. API products connect to the mailbox and can remove threats after delivery, with no routing change.

What is business email compromise?

Business email compromise is fraud where an attacker pretends to be a boss, colleague or supplier to get a payment or data. These messages often have no links or malware, so behavior-based detection helps catch them.

Can email security remove a message after it was delivered?

Yes. Most products here can pull a bad message out of every mailbox at once, which matters when a threat is found after delivery.

Do I need DMARC as well?

Yes, DMARC is a separate job. It stops others from sending mail that pretends to come from your own domain, while email security protects the mail your staff receive.

Sources

These are the pages we reviewed for each pick: the vendor's own product page and website, its market data on Mandos, and every review page we read for customer feedback.

  • 1.Proofpoint Core Email Protection · Proofpoint

    Product page · Proofpoint website · Market data on Mandos · G2 · PeerSpot · Reddit: proofpoint isnt cutting it whats better · Reddit: mimecast proofpoint rough cost · Reddit: spamtitan vs proofpoint essentials beginner vs

  • 2.Microsoft Defender for Office 365 · Microsoft

    Product page · Microsoft website · Market data on Mandos · G2 · Gartner Peer Insights · PeerSpot · Reddit: is defender for office bad · Reddit: what is your experience with defender for office · Reddit: your thoughts on ms defender for office 365 plan 2 · Reddit: defender for office 365 business premium are we

  • 3.Mimecast Advanced Email Security · Mimecast

    Product page · Mimecast website · Market data on Mandos · Gartner Peer Insights · PeerSpot · G2 · Reddit: email security and archiving · Reddit: suggestions for email security for 365

  • 4.Abnormal Inbound Email Security · Abnormal Security

    Product page · Abnormal Security website · Market data on Mandos · PeerSpot

  • 5.Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense · Cisco

    Product page · Cisco website · Market data on Mandos · Gartner Peer Insights · Reddit: cisco esa · Reddit: need help cisco email threat defense · G2

  • 6.Broadcom Symantec Email Security · Broadcom

    Product page · Broadcom website · Market data on Mandos · G2 · Gartner Peer Insights · Reddit: migration to symantec email security cloud from · Reddit: getting rid of symantec email securitycloud · Reddit: psa to anyone using symantecs emailsecurity cloud

  • 7.Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security · Fortinet

    Product page · Fortinet website · Market data on Mandos · Gartner Peer Insights · PeerSpot · G2

Summarize with AI

Skip to

  1. Executive summary
  2. How we evaluated
  3. What is Email Security Platforms
  4. The shortlist
    1. 1.Proofpoint Core Email Protection
    2. 2.Microsoft Defender for Office 365
    3. 3.Mimecast Advanced Email Security
    4. 4.Abnormal Inbound Email Security
    5. 5.Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense
    6. 6.Broadcom Symantec Email Security
    7. 7.Fortinet FortiMail Email and Workspace Security
  5. CISO checklist for selecting an Email Security Platforms product
  6. Other solutions we considered for this shortlist
  7. Conclusion
  8. Frequently Asked Questions
  9. Sources

Reviewed by

Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze

Founder of CybersecTools and Mandos. Enterprise security leader, 14 years.

14 years in enterprise security leadership: hundreds of vendor evaluations and RFPs, security budgets defended to boards, and a consolidation that cut €35M across 24 markets. He reviews every shortlist on CybersecTools.

LinkedIn · Website

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