Effective email security should include incident response capabilities

Email security is no longer just about preventing threats from getting in. It is also about a quick and effective response if a threat succeeds in reaching an inbox. Even the most advanced security measures aren't 100% foolproof. Malware, phishing techniques and social engineering tactics continue to evolve, and as security tools adapt, attackers look for new ways to bypass defenses.

Security professionals need an approach that combines prevention with fast and scalable incident response. Ideally, this approach should be automated so it can quickly locate, contain and neutralise threats with no human interaction needed and no impact on business operations.

When it comes to automated incident response, the SANS Insitute’s global Detection and Response Survey uncovered that although 64 percent of organisations have at least started integrating automation into their detection and response processes, only a small minority (16%) have been able to fully automate. In terms of what was holding them back, 59 percent cited skilled personnel as the top obstacle and 47% shared that with budgets remaining tight was a concern.

Yet despite these challenges, the appetite for progress is strong: two-thirds of respondents plan to ramp up their use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, hoping smarter tools will ease the pressure on human resources and help them stay ahead of threats.

Protection is more than prevention

The primary purpose of email security solutions is to detect and block email-borne threats form ever reaching target inboxes. But into today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, there is always a risk, however small, that a threat will get through. If this happens, it is important to act quickly. Every minute the attackers have access to a compromised account is a minute they can use to move laterally, spread malware, siphon off sensitive data, or disrupt business processes. Manual response processes can fall short. They are resource-intensive, relatively slow and unlikely to be fully available 24/7. It can take IT professionals hours or even days to detect a breach, identify affected users, quarantine malicious emails, and take appropriate response actions. This uses up time and energy that could be better spent on other things.

The solution lies in automated incident response – a fast and effective way to address threats that manage to breach the organisation via email, and to halt the spread of malicious email content, isolate threats in a timely manner, and protect users and sensitive data.

Why automation makes sense

Automated incident response removes the limitations and potential errors of manual processes in email security. It also provides the scalability needed so that even organisations with limited IT resources can handle a significant number of incidents. 

Most automated incident response solutions provide IT teams with advanced tools for proactive threat hunting and threat analysis. These combine insights from user reports of suspicious emails with open source information to help IT security professionals to properly assess the likely risk and impact of an incident. Malicious emails are then automatically and quickly retrieved from the inboxes of all affected users. Response playbooks help to further streamline response processes by performing predefined actions based on set triggers and conditions.

In addition to improved security, automated incident response also delivers tangible business benefits. Faster responses to email threats can significantly reduce the risk of damage and disruption. IT teams can focus on strategic priorities instead of repetitive tasks, which increases efficiency. It also reduces IT and security costs by reducing manual work.

Integrate incident response into a robust email security strategy

Automated incident response is a critical component of essential email security, but it is not the only tool you need. Here, as a reminder are the other key elements, including  a robust email security solution featuring advanced impersonation protection and AI-powered functionality to spot sophisticated and emerging threats, strong multifactor authentication policies and access controls so that applications and content are protected from universal access, regular security awareness training for employees on the latest threats and clear procedures for spotting and reporting suspicious emails.

These elements between them will protect your organisations from the majority of inbound email-borne threats. But as the well known phrase goes: defenders need to succeed every time, attackers only need to succeed once. Automated incident response will help to make that just a bit harder.

Pranay Manek

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Pranay Manek is System Engineer Manager at Barracuda Networks, India