Organisations often measure email security by click rates on phishing attempts, but this metric provides a narrow view of risk, argues Material Security. The true danger arises when attackers bypass defences and access user mailboxes, where they can exfiltrate sensitive data or move laterally. The focus must shift from mere prevention to rapid containment, detection and incident response.
Effective email defence now requires swift intervention—spotting suspicious forwarding, flagging anomalous logins, and automated containment of hijacked accounts. Accepting that breaches will occur, robust incident readiness, ongoing monitoring, and resilient response processes are crucial. Email security maturity is ultimately demonstrated not by low click rates, but by how adeptly an organisation reacts and recovers after compromise.
