Office 365 Overview
Office 365 is a prime example of the move from desktop-based applications to the cloud in recent years. In doing so, Microsoft has improved the efficiency and functionality of its software and services subscriptions, and benefits can be seen in the range and speed of IT support services. With Office 365, real time collaboration is possible across a variety of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
The Cloud and Cyber Attacks
Storing data on the cloud and being able to access it from any number of devices, at any time, and from any location, has huge advantages and is the future of computing. However, there are also risks associated with the use of cloud-based systems, with increased potential for data to be exposed to malware infections and viruses. Hackers have greater scope to access data stored on the cloud, versus the individual desktop computers of the past.
As a result, proven, robust protection is required to mitigate the effects of malware and to block spam. CYBONET’s PineApp Mail Secure Solution is the perfect complement to Office 365; allowing you to benefit from all that Office 365 has to offer, without putting you at additional risk of cyber attacks.
Office 365 Email Security Limitations
Microsoft offers a number of Office 365 plans aimed at business and home users. However, only the most comprehensive Enterprise plan offers the highest level of security protection. Microsoft does offer a number of security capabilities as part of Office 365, including anti-virus and anti-spam filtering, physical access controls and employee access that can be restricted by job function. However, security is lacking in several areas, which fall short of comprehensive email security solution offerings:
- Network administrators can adjust the Office 365 spam filter parameters and create transport rules.
- However, manually creating ‘safe lists’ and ‘block lists’ for an organization is time consuming and an inefficient use of resources
- Office 365 identifies spam through real-time scans of Global Blackhole Lists, but does not perform a ‘greylisting’ check, which blocks new variants of spam not yet included in the Global Blackhole Lists
- Office 365 does not offer more advanced and targeted threat protection techniques in addition to reputation checks, for example the use of sandboxing technologies
- Users of mobile devices cannot determine whether a web link in an email is safe or malicious with Office 365
- The Office 365 spam filter can only be deployed on the cloud, and does not offer flexible deployment options, such as on-premise or via a Managed Service Provider, which may better suit some types of organizations
- The cost of Microsoft security products, such as Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) and Exchange Online Protection (EOP) are typically at least 20% higher than the cost of third party email security solutions, in spite of the limitations raised
The PineApp Mail Secure Solution
For those seeking improved levels of email security for the range of Office 365 plans, PineApp Mail Secure supports the Office 365 offering to ensure a higher level of protection.
Our comprehensive messaging security solution blocks email-borne attacks while providing the extra features needed to ensure business continuity. PineApp Mail Secure blocks over 99.7% of spam and viruses and protects both inbound and outbound email traffic. This is key as the majority of malware and ransomware originate from emails communications, which:
1. Target Enterprises, in particular Small and Medium Businesses/Enterprises (SMB/Es)
2. Target SMB/Es via malware and ransomware
3. Spread malware and ransomware through emails sent to Employees
PineApp Mail Secure can be installed on local hardware, installed on a virtual platform, deployed in a cluster array and may in future be offered as a cloud-based deployment to complement Office 365 and keep your data secure.
Multi-Layered Virus Protection
PineApp Mail Secure provides complete protection from all known viruses, new age virus outbreaks (zero-hour detection), worms and Trojan-horses by using a multi-layered, anti-virus system combined with a choice or combination of traditional anti-virus engines (Kaspersky and/or Avira AV) depending on need. All anti-virus layers are updated frequently by external dynamic databases.
Advanced Management
PineApp Mail Secure provides a set of highly sophisticated but flexible management tools, which allow system administrators, postmasters, and end-users to design smart and efficient policy enforcement measures and have complete control over auditing and management.
Perimeter-Based Spam Protection
PineApp Mail Secure is equipped with an advanced, multi-layered anti-spam module, which stops most threats (up to 90%) at the perimeter level, providing better detection rates – with less data read by the system - and a reduced false positive ratio. Post perimeter protection includes in-depth analysis by different anti-spam content inspection engines.
Integrated Load Balancing
PineApp Mail Secure’s load balancing feature enables the scaling of traffic between two or more PineApp Mail Secure appliances with several distribution methods, thus saving major IT costs.
Sandboxing Module
Through an integration with our technology partner Check Point, and leveraging their SandBlast technology, the sandboxing module provides deeper protection against advance persistent threats. It sends files that are potential threats to a cloud-hosted sandbox for deep content analysis, without alerting the malware to its presence.
Solution Modules
PineApp Mail Secure provides a menu of easily deployed solution modules, including the following which can be used alongside Office 365:
| Email Archiving | Compliance ready solution for intuitive, easy to search message archiving |
| Big Data Transfer | Enable customers to share password protected large files with a password shared over SMS |
PineApp Mail Secure Solution Features
- Proven spam blockage ratio of 99.7%
- Strong perimeter security ensuring that up to 90% of threats are stopped prior to content inspections
- Advanced Management with Domain and User-based policy rules
- Strong but flexible policy management at four levels; Global, Domain, LDAP Group and User
- User Self Managed Solution via end user personal daily traffic reports
- Legal hold short-term (30-day) clean email backup solution
- Seamless integration interfaces with all server types
- Data Leakage Prevention and Content Compliance Package
- Advanced Inappropriate Content Control (ICC)
- LDAP support and automatic user creation services
- Real-time Technology Implementation
- A System and Network Resources-Friendly Solution
- Mail Relay Clustering for centralized management of email traffic, quarantine logs and reporting
- An Auto-Updated Solution
- Multi layered Anti-Spam Filter
- Multi layered Anti-Virus Filter with Zero-Hour Protection
- Rapid Return on Investment (ROI)