Few channels are as universal, and as vulnerable, as email. Since its creation, it has been an essential tool for business communication, but also one of those preferred by cybercriminals. The reason is simple: we all use it, we trust it and, many times, we lower our guard.
In recent years, attack techniques have evolved to sophistication levels that exceed conventional filters. Today, protecting email requires much more than an antivirus or a simple spam blocker: it requires a comprehensive strategy based on artificial intelligence (AI) and a multilayer defense capable of anticipating the new fraud methods.
Threats that evolve with AI
According to Kaspersky’s late 893 million phishing attempts And they were detected 125 million malicious attachments. In addition, the spam represented almost half of the global mail traffica proportion that confirms the magnitude of the problem.
In Spain, the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) attended More than 21,500 Phishing incidents During 2024, most of them focused on the impersonation of banks or trusted companies. This type of fraud concentrated almost half of the digital attacks registered in the country, a trend that rises in 2025.
The most worrying thing is that cybercounts are also using generative AI models To design more convincing emails, free of errors and adapted to the victim’s profile. These tools allow to create personalized pHishing campaigns on a large scale, capable of overcoming conventional filters.
In recent years, email attack techniques have evolved to sophistication levels that exceed conventional filters
“Email remains a very effective attack vector
Alexander Rumyantsev, Senior Product Manager of Cloud & Network Security in Kaspersky, alerts about the need to reinforce the defenses: “Email remains one of the most effective attack vectors and in 2024 we have seen to what extent the threats linked to it are persistent and widespread.”
The expert emphasizes that Mail security should be integrated into the global cybersecurity strategytaking advantage of the advantages of automation and automatic learning. “Kaspersky Security for Mail Server is a comprehensive solution that protects any mail infrastructure, reinforcing the defense of organizations by integrating email protection into the global cybersecurity. Includes real -time threat detection, automated response, advanced filtering and authentication of sender,” says Rumyantsev.
The key is in the layer approach
In the face of increasingly complex attacks, Layer defense It has established itself as the most effective strategy. This approach combines multiple protection lines that act in a coordinated manner:
- Advanced threat detection: AI and automatic learning allow to identify suspicious patterns, analyze links and files in isolated environments (sandbox) and block attacks even before they reach the user.
- Authentication of the sender: technologies like SPF, Dkim and DMARC They verify the legitimacy of the mails and reduce the supplant attempts.
- Continuous training: The human factor remains the weakest link. Phishing awareness and drill programs help reduce mistakes that open the door to attacks.
- Incident response: Fast and automated action plans minimize the impact when an attack manages to overcome the initial defenses.
- Periodic review and audit: Static policies become obsolete in weeks; Therefore, the most resilient companies constantly update their systems and configurations.
The AI as an ally of the cybersecurity of the email
The role of artificial intelligence is no longer limited to detecting spam. Today, the most advanced solutions They learn from each attack attempt and adjust their real -time detection models. Thanks to the correlation of millions of signals, AI can distinguish with great precision between legitimate and malicious emails, even when the latter perfectly imitate the communication style of a company or manager.
But the AI is not only used to defend: the attackers also use it to generate more credible automated campaigns or impersonations. In this context, the response speed and predictive capacity They are determining factors. Companies that integrate solutions based on their mail platforms significantly reduce the average detection and mitigation of threats.
Towards an integral security model
The email, far from losing relevance, has become the epicenter of the battle for digital security. Companies that still trust only traditional filters face a growing risk. Incorporating AI, authentication, behavior analysis and continuous training is no longer an option, but a need to guarantee the continuity of the business.
The conclusion is clear: email remains a critical tool, but also a battlefield. Only throughAn integral and automated approachwith protection layers adapted to new attack tactics, organizations may keep one step ahead of cybercriminals.
