Providing the best possible protection for your email data.

Email security is important for any organization in order to protect against data breaches, malware, and phishing attacks. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their methods for exploiting vulnerabilities, and organizations need to ensure that their email security solutions are up to date in order to protect themselves.

Office 365 (O365) utilizes Microsoft’s Exchange Online Protection (EOP) as its built-in spam filter, but many organizations find that EOP does not provide the level of protection they need. In these cases, it is necessary to supplement EOP with a third-party spam filter in order to provide the best possible protection for email data.

Why the Office 365 Spam Filter Isn’t Enough

There are a number of reasons why a third-party spam filter may be necessary, even for organizations that already have O365. EOP is not always effective at blocking spam and phishing emails.  As a result, many organizations find that a significant percentage of spam and phishing emails still make it through EOP and into their inboxes. If you are using Office 365 and are relying on its security filters to provide adequate protection for your email data, you may want to consider supplementing it with a third-party spam filter. Doing so can help to ensure that your organization is better protected against the latest threats.

What Separates Spam Filters from Office 365?

A few key features separate third-party spam filters from Office 365’s EOP. Today, we will take a look at a few of the most important ones.

Artificial Intelligence

One of the most important features of any spam filter is its ability to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in order to identify and block spam emails. AI-based spam filters are constantly learning and evolving, which means they are better able to keep up with the latest threats. EOP, on the other hand, relies on static rules that are not as effective at blocking new and sophisticated threats.

Email Continuity

Another important feature that separates spam filters from EOP is email continuity. This feature allows users to continue accessing their email even if the email server goes down. This is important because it can help to ensure that business operations are not interrupted in the event of an email outage. EOP does not offer this feature, which means that organizations that rely on it may experience disruptions in their email service if the cloud service goes down.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Content Policies

Another important difference between spam filters and EOP is the ability to create and enforce DLP content policies. DLP content policies help to ensure that sensitive information is not sent through email. This is important because it can help to prevent data breaches.

DKIM & SPF Email Authentication Protection

Spam filters also typically offer DKIM and SPF email authentication protection. This is important because it can help to ensure that emails are not spoofed. Spoofed emails are a common type of phishing attack, and they can be difficult to detect. By using a spam filter that offers DKIM and SPF protection, you can help to ensure that your organization is better protected against these types of attacks.

Zero-Day Protection to Stop Advanced Threats

Zero-day protection is another important feature that is offered by many spam filters. This type of protection helps to ensure that emails containing new and unknown threats are blocked. While Microsoft is able to detect and block some new threats, it is not always able to do so in a timely manner. This means that there is a window of opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit. By using a spam filter that offers zero-day protection, you can help to close this window and better protect your organization against new and unknown threats.

Searchable, Unalterable Messaging Archives for Easy Regulatory Compliance

Another important feature that is offered by many spam filters is the ability to archive email messages. This is important because it can help organizations to meet compliance requirements. Email messages that are archived can be easily searched and retrieved, which makes it easier for organizations to comply with regulations.

While many organizations may be under the impression that third-party spam filters will be a significant expense, the truth is that spam filters outside of Microsoft can be purchased for only a few dollars a month and can actually save organizations money in the long run.

Be sure to check back with us every week this month as we discuss other solutions to better protect your organization from cyber threats and provide better features and services that don’t break the bank. If want to learn more about our services and improve your cyber security strategy, contact us to take the next step.