Email Security: What It Is, How It Works, And Best Protection Methods
KnowBe4, Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Email-based threats are evolving faster than traditional solutions can keep up. According to Verizon's 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report, the use of synthetically generated text in malicious emails has doubled over the past two years.
That makes it far more difficult to spot social engineering attacks like phishing, which trick users with deceptive messages. Phishing emails no longer look suspicious by default, and attackers often make a believable request that fits naturally into how work gets done.
That shift has real consequences for how email security needs to work. When it relies too heavily on static rules or assumes users will always spot subtle cues, risk slips through quietly.