Your email is a hacker’s favorite target because it contains lots of data and opportunities for more cyberattacks. Relying on your service provider and a sharp eye isn’t enough, so make sure you invest in good email security software.

Get to know exactly how such programs improve your security alongside your email provider's and browser's safeguards. Put them all together, and they go well beyond blocking viruses, warning you about dangerous senders, and making your life easier.

Does Your Browser and Email Already Protect You?

Providers like Gmail and Outlook can do tasks like divert spam to your junk folder, show you extra information about a sender, and automatically block emails from sources you specify. This is decent cybersecurity.

Different browsers have their own security systems in place to verify sites you visit and block trackers, including cookies and browser fingerprinting that tracks online activity. Firefox, for instance, uses such measures.

Tracking Protection on Firefox Browser Privacy Settings

Unfortunately, standard email security has three main problems:

  • Filters aren’t perfect, sometimes missing threats or seeing legit emails as spam.
  • Scammers can outsmart it.
  • You take most of the action, from investigating a sender to setting up rules.

Considering how subtle and tech-savvy hackers can be, you need extra support to tackle all threats. That’s where email security suites that protect your inbox come in to add intelligent and automated safeguards.

Let’s take a closer look at what they do and why you should invest in more than your email service’s basic safety measures.

How Email Security Software Scan For Viruses

Hackers use different methods to deliver malware to your devices. In an email, they might include a link, image, or file that installs the virus as soon as you interact with it. Some malicious programs you trigger by simply opening the email.

Email scanner software like N-Able’s Mail Assure check inbound and outbound messages for anything suspicious. They can stop a Gmail virus in its tracks, for example, and save you from ever having to deal with it.

How they keep you safe comes down to their fast processing and in-depth knowledge of cybercrime. Some products also use machine learning to bolster their speed and efficiency.

N-able Mail Assure Cybersecurity Features

For starters, the best security programs on the market can detect known hacking techniques and get regular insights on new threats to look out for.

Their scans can pick up clues from emails like hidden algorithms, unverified senders, suspicious IP addresses, and scammer behavior patterns. Every update also tries to patch up your vulnerabilities.

Then, the software can alert you, quarantine or delete emails, or perform any other action you set. Cybersecurity services strive to protect you and take most of the work out of your hands.

How Email Security Software Protect Inboxes From Infection

Another way that an email virus can affect you is by adding malware to your inbox or browser. So, instead of targeting your computer’s operating system, a hacker might prefer to track your movements or information while you’re online.

You could get a fake email supposedly from a famous brand promoting a new app or browser extension. If you install whatever the email offers, it can cause any number of problems—including recording login details with a keylogger or even using your email contacts to spread more viruses.

Related: Beware of Dodgy Windows 11 Installers: They Could Be Malware

Email security software can prevent any of this from happening, especially if you’re careful as well. In terms of products, you could zone in on multi-layered solutions that scan messages and browsers, as well as your whole device.

Norton 360 gives you a good idea of how far antivirus services can go to protect you. In this case, you can check every email and download for malware, while also scanning the dark web for your leaked information.

How Email Security Software Mark Messages as Spam

Spam usually comes from marketers, but hackers can use it too. Any of these unsolicited messages, which can arrive in the dozens, could contain malware.

Considering how easily you can get a virus from opening an email, cybersecurity software will boost your safeguards with smart spam filters. These watch for messages with suspicious wording or origins and send them to the spam or junk folder.

Gmail Spam Folder

While your antivirus program has them quarantined as dangerous spam, you’re free to view them. They can still affect you if you interact with them, however, so don’t click on any of their content; just leave them alone.

If a spam message manages to sneak through, there should be additional protection in place to block viruses. After that, the next lines of defense are your judgment and tools—try checking links with special sites and researching any names or brands the email mentions.

How Email Security Software Detect Phishing Attempts

By scanning for suspicious content and unsecure senders, your cybersecurity can identify and throw away messages you probably shouldn’t open. The smarter the software, the greater its success rate.

But phishing schemes can be clever too. They can make sure their email address is verified by your browser and that their wording won’t trigger red flags. Some even create fake websites and social media accounts to lure you in.

Phishing for Login Details

That’s why your antivirus system should have several layers of protection. Some products can alert you about dangerous sites, help you investigate a sender’s claims, and send mass warnings to your contacts or customers when you’re compromised.

How you organize your email security policy also defines what defenses you need to set up and how well they perform. In the end, countering phishing attempts takes intelligent software and personal caution.

All Your Devices Need Email Security Software

Any technology with access to the internet can become a target for cybercriminals, not just your computer. So, if you use a smartphone or tablet to read emails, it’s safer to have antivirus measures on there as well.

All-in-all, there are many types of malware and scams that just need a foothold to abuse your sensitive information, files, contacts, and more. Take your protection seriously with email security software, but keep exploring tools and methods to boost your defenses.