Solution combines email security, web browsing protection, perimeter posture, and awareness culture to help tackle phishing attacks. Credit: Rawpixel/Shutterstock Cybersecurity vendor Guardz has announced the release of a new AI-powered phishing protection solution to help small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and managed service providers (MSPs) prevent phishing attacks. It uses AI to provide small businesses and the MSPs that support them automatic phishing detection and remediation capabilities by combining email security, web browsing protection, perimeter posture, and awareness into one native solution, according to the firm. The release comes in the wake of the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report, which cited phishing as the second most common way threat actors infiltrate organizations, behind stolen credentials. It also found that three-quarters of all data breaches observed in the past year involved some form of human element, with the number of recorded business email compromise (BEC) attacks doubling. Meanwhile, the emergence of sophisticated generative AI chat technology built on large language models (LMMs) has changed the phishing game significantly, with researchers already demonstrating how OpenAI’s ChatGPT can enhance phishing attacks by making them harder to detect and easier to pull off. Platform verifies emails against authentication protocols like DMARC Guardz’s new phishing protection platform automatically verifies emails for authentication protocols including Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), Sender Policy Framework (SPF), and checks for malicious forwarding rules, the firm said in a press release. It also initiates detection through AI-powered anti-phishing and anti-malware engines, removes risky emails from users’ inboxes and automatically sends them to quarantine, and monitors internet browsing to detect potential phishing attempts with real-time alerts for system admins, Gaurdz added. Other features include the delivery of active cyber awareness training and tailored phishing simulations for employees to help foster a culture of caution and vigilance, the company said. Phishing used in 44% of social engineering incidents Social engineering remains a major threat to businesses with phishing making up 44% of social engineering incidents detected in Verizon’s latest data breach research. The report encouraged companies to step away from the “phishing exercises will continue until click rates improve” stance and adopt a more collaborative approach to security. There are a fair number of controls to consider when confronting this complex threat, and all have pros and cons, the report added. “Due to the strong human element associated with this pattern, many of the controls pertain to helping users detect and report attacks as well as protecting their user accounts in the event that they fall victim to a phishing lure.” Related content news analysis SEC rule for finance firms boosts disclosure requirements Amendments to Regulation S-P requires broker-dealers, investment companies, registered investment advisers, and transfer agents to disclose incidents to customers. By Evan Schuman May 17, 2024 5 mins Data Breach Financial Services Industry Data Privacy feature DDoS attacks: Definition, examples, and techniques Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks have been part of the criminal toolbox for over twenty years, and they’re only growing more prevalent and stronger. By Josh Fruhlinger May 17, 2024 10 mins DDoS Cyberattacks news FCC proposes BGP security measures Protecting the Border Gateway Protocol is as important as protecting the border. By Gyana Swain May 17, 2024 1 min Regulation Network Security news US AI experts targeted in cyberespionage campaign using SugarGh0st RAT Threat actors use phishing techniques to obtain non-public information about generative artificial intelligence. By Lucian Constantin May 16, 2024 4 mins Phishing Data and Information Security PODCASTS VIDEOS RESOURCES EVENTS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe