Microsoft Defender for Office 365 named Best Email Security Service of 2023 by SE Labs

In today’s world where hybrid and remote work are on the rise, and companies rely on email now more than ever, phishing remains one of the most prominent and sophisticated techniques that malicious actors utilize to attack organizations and gain access to their most sensitive information. Twenty-seven percent of all cyberattacks involve business email compromise campaigns—making email the primary entry point and a key vector of compromise.¹ To protect effectively against this constantly changing and evolving threat landscape, organizations need to proactively implement protection directly integrated with their email systems to stop attacks before they get to endpoints or other assets.

Microsoft has worked with organizations globally to protect against ransomware and phishing and is excited to announce that SE Labs named Microsoft Defender for Office 365 the Best Email Security Service of 2023.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 provides comprehensive email protection from attacks such as credential phishing, business email compromise, and ransomware. Using advanced machine learning, an unparalleled massive database of threat signals, and other innovative heuristics, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 is capable of identifying phishing attacks across the entire organization, while also offering sophisticated prevention, detection, and response features that are seamlessly integrated into Office 365. By seamlessly integrating with Office, Microsoft Defender is able to provide a user experience that feels native, easy to use, and minimizes processing overhead, without compromising on security.

Technology is key, but users are often the weak link in phishing attacks, so training is a critical element to make sure that phishing links remain untouched by your employees. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 includes built-in phishing simulation training to educate employees and senior leaders to decrease the chance of real-world attacks. Furthermore, SecOps teams are given powerful tools that enable them to customize simulation training, based on detailed insights into where there are knowledge gaps in the organization.

SE Labs testing, methodology, and award results

For this award, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 was evaluated on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors alongside other cybersecurity vendors. For quantitative testing, SE Labs created simulated attacks based on the current, most up-to-date threat intelligence. SE Labs then measured how many of these malicious messages were appropriately filtered out by Microsoft Defender for Office 365 as well as other email security systems. SE Labs has been building and refining this test since 2017.

In the quantitative test, Microsoft received a rating of AAA, the highest possible. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 was able to correctly identify and block 98 percent of emails containing malicious content like malware or phishing, demonstrating its state-of-the-art capability in protecting customers from business email compromise. Furthermore, once deployed, the Microsoft Defender for Office 365 engine is always learning from email traffic in its environment and makes adjustments accordingly. Learn more about this test and its results.

In addition to quantitative testing, SE Labs conducted a comprehensive evaluation by also gathering qualitative feedback from organizations. Through this approach, SE Labs gained valuable insights into the real-world efficacy of email security solutions. We are humbled that the results indicate that Microsoft Defender for Office 365 received the highest levels of customer satisfaction, compared to other vendors in the evaluation.

While not one of the customers that provided feedback as part of the SE Labs research evaluation, here’s what Rx.Health, a large digital solutions provider for healthcare systems, had to say about their experience with Microsoft Defender for Office 365:

“Defender for Office 365 is the silent component that gives us peace of mind.”—Saurabh Gupta, Director of Engineering and Technology, Rx.Health.

For more on what Rx.Health has to say about Microsoft’s Security solutions, read the full story.

Protect against sophisticated attacks like business email compromise and ransomware with Microsoft’s XDR

Email security is embedded into Microsoft’s unified extended detection and response (XDR) solution: Microsoft 365 Defender. The cross-domain XDR technology uses signals across email, endpoint, on-premises and cloud identities, as well as cloud apps to illuminate the entire kill chain and protect your organization more effectively from modern threats like ransomware and business email compromise. While it delivers game-changing capabilities like automatic attack disruption, which stops active threats early and stops them from progressing, prevention is another critical XDR component to stop threats at the front door. That’s why Microsoft recommends that you evaluate XDR solutions that provide phishing protection through email security and identity access management.

Thank you to SE Labs for their important and impactful testing of email security solutions, in addition to all of our customers who provided their feedback as part of this research.

At Microsoft, we understand the vital importance of robust cybersecurity in the modern digital landscape. That’s why we remain steadfastly dedicated to delivering exceptional security products and services, like Microsoft Defender for Office 365, backed by our team of world-class security researchers and industry-leading threat intelligence. Our advanced AI technology further adapts to the continuous and ever-evolving threat environment, helping to keep your organization safe and secure, so you can focus on driving success and growth.

Learn more

To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and Twitter (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.

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¹Annual Report 2023, SE Labs.

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