Report:
Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms
How does Gartner define the Email Security Platforms market in 2024?
Gartner defines an email security platform as a product that secures email infrastructure. Its primary purpose is the removal of malicious (phishing, social engineering, viruses) or unsolicited messages (spam, marketing). Other functions include email data protection, domain-based message authentication, reporting and conformance (DMARC), investigation, and remediation through a dedicated console. They may integrate as a secure email gateway (SEG) for predelivery protection or as an integrated cloud email security (ICES) solution for postdelivery protection. Email security platforms protect an organization's email infrastructure from social engineering, phishing, business email compromise, spam, malware attacks and data theft. Email security platforms are deployed independently, but integrated with other network and endpoint security controls to improve the overall risk posture of the organization. Email security platforms offer cybersecurity teams visibility into email-related security incidents for investigation and remediation.
Key Facts for Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms in 2024
- Publication Date: 16 December 2024
- Document ID: G00806896
- Coverage: Global
- Authors: Max Taggett, Nikul Patel
- Core Purpose: Email security platforms provide protection against spam, phishing and business email compromise. They secure email infrastructure by removing malicious or unsolicited messages and providing email data protection, DMARC management, investigation, and remediation capabilities.
Strategic Planning Assumptions
No strategic planning assumptions provided.
How was the Email Security Platforms market evolved in 2024?
- Email infrastructure has predominantly transitioned to the cloud, increasing market potential for vendors delivering security outside traditional secure email gateway (SEG) implementation
- Integrated cloud email security (ICES) solutions utilizing API connections are challenging the standard of in-line email security
- Natural language processing (NLP) and large language models (LLMs) have transformed both attack methods and defense against social engineering
- ESPs increasingly use advanced analytics including LLMs, NLP, and social graph analysis for content analysis focused on preventing business email compromise
- The market shows increased merger and acquisition activity with vendors either acquiring functionality or expanding from adjacent security spaces
- Features and product lines have become more fluid as new entrants cater to specific customer profiles or market segments
- Efficacy is the primary concern of email security customers, especially for protection against spear phishing and business email compromise
What product features are required to be included in this year's evaluation?
- Message, body and header scanning for phishing and spam
- Attachment inspection and quarantine or disarming
- URL analysis and protection
- Email data protection, including encryption and data loss prevention features
What are the common features of top products in the Email Security Platforms space?
- DMARC/domain keys identified mail (DKIM)/sender policy framework (SPF) management
- Account takeover prevention
- Collaboration/productivity tool protection
- Awareness training
- Message transfer agent (MTA)
Scope Exclusions
- Vendors that do not sell email security as an independent product line
- Products that cannot block or filter unwanted email traffic
- Solutions lacking file scanning for malware protection
- Platforms without URL vetting and protection capabilities
- Vendors not utilizing advanced analytic tools (LLMs, NLP, or social graph analysis) for BEC prevention
- Vendors with fewer than 10,000 customers and less than 1 million protected mailboxes
- Vendors with combined market share of 40% or less in North American, European, Middle East and African markets
Inclusion Criteria
Vendors must, among other requirements:
- Must sell email security as a product line independent of any other solution or service
- Must provide the capability to block or filter unwanted email traffic
- Must provide file scanning to protect against malware
- Must provide the capability to vet and protect against malicious URLs
- Must utilize advanced analytic tools (including but not limited to large language models, natural language processing or social graph analysis) for content analysis focused on preventing business email compromise
- Must have a minimum of 10,000 customers or a minimum 1 million mailboxes protected
- Have a combined market share in North American, European, the Middle East and African markets exceeding 40%
Ability to Execute — Relative Weighting
- Product or Service - High
- Overall Viability - Medium
- Sales Execution/Pricing - Medium
- Market Responsiveness/Record - Low
- Marketing Execution - Low
- Customer Experience - Medium
- Operations - Medium
Completeness of Vision — Relative Weighting
- Market Understanding - Low
- Marketing Strategy - Medium
- Sales Strategy - Medium
- Offering (Product) Strategy - High
- Business Model - NotRated
- Vertical/Industry Strategy - Low
- Innovation - Medium
- Geographic Strategy - Low
FAQs
Q: What does this research cover?
A: This research evaluates 15 email security platform vendors across their ability to execute and completeness of vision. It covers vendors that provide email security as an independent product line with capabilities for blocking unwanted email traffic, file scanning for malware protection, URL vetting, and advanced analytics for business email compromise prevention. The research assesses core security capabilities, additional features like DLP and DMARC management, deployment options (SEG and ICES), and vendor viability factors.
Q: Who should use this research?
A: This research should be used by security and risk management leaders, IT security teams, and cybersecurity professionals responsible for evaluating and selecting email security platforms. Organizations should use this to assess vendors first on detection quality, then on additional security capabilities and infrastructure support. It is particularly relevant for organizations seeking to protect against phishing, business email compromise, spam, malware attacks and data theft, or those pursuing security vendor consolidation strategies.
Q: What are the mandatory features of vendors included in this market?
A: Mandatory features of an email security platform include: message, body and header scanning for phishing and spam; attachment inspection and quarantine or disarming; URL analysis and protection; and email data protection, including encryption and data loss prevention features. Additionally, vendors must utilize advanced analytic tools such as large language models, natural language processing, or social graph analysis for content analysis focused on preventing business email compromise.
Q: What are some reasons for not being included in this report?
A:
- Email security not sold as an independent product line
- Lack of capability to block or filter unwanted email traffic
- Missing file scanning to protect against malware
- Absence of URL vetting and protection capabilities
- Not utilizing advanced analytic tools (LLMs, NLP, social graph analysis) for BEC prevention
- Fewer than 10,000 customers or less than 1 million mailboxes protected
- Combined market share below 40% in North American, European, Middle East and African markets
Q: What differentiates Ability to Execute vs. Completeness of Vision?
A: Ability to Execute focuses on current operational capabilities including product quality, sales effectiveness, financial viability, customer support, and day-to-day operations. It measures how well vendors deliver and support their existing solutions. Completeness of Vision evaluates forward-looking strategic elements including market understanding, product roadmap, innovation commitments, and growth strategies. It assesses vendors' understanding of market evolution and their plans to shape the future of email security. The highest weighted criterion for Ability to Execute is Product/Service (High), while for Completeness of Vision it is Offering (Product) Strategy (High).
Reference
- Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Email Security Platforms, 16 December 2024, ID G00806896
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