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 US healthcare agency to invest $50M in threat detection tools that predict attackers’ next moves The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health is seeking proposals that go beyond detecting and analyzing healthcare attacks to trying to determine what attackers will try next. By Evan Schuman May 28, 2024 5 mins Government IT Healthcare Industry Threat and Vulnerability Management news Data leak exposes personal data of Indian military and police Data included facial scans, fingerprints, identifying marks such as tattoos or scars, and documents such as birth certificates and employment records. By Prasanth Aby Thomas May 28, 2024 4 mins Data Breach feature Third-party software supply chain threats continue to plague CISOs Malware-laced libraries add a new dimension to defending the software supply chain. By David Strom May 28, 2024 8 mins Open Source Security Software Supply Chain feature CISSP certification: Requirements, training, exam, and cost The Certified Information Systems Security Professional ‘gold standard’ certification demonstrates your skills, testifies to your experience, and opens career advancement opportunities, including higher salary. By Josh Fruhlinger and CSO Staff May 28, 2024 10 mins Certifications Careers 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