M365 security specialist Hornetsecurity uncovered a cool half a billion business emails with malicious content, just for its latest analysis. The share echoes the unhappy truth that up to a third of all emails are unwanted, with phishing via email still the top email threat.
Luckily, Hornetsecurity tackles the risks with a multi-faceted approach:
• Comprehensive cloud security with 365 Total Protection.
• Manage and deliver M365 security, backup, compliance and awareness through a single control panel.
• Sophisticated cybersecurity intelligence and reporting from Hornetsecurity Labs.
CYBERSECURITY 2025 REPORT ON M365
Hornetsecurity’s annual report on cybersecurity for business email and M365 security threats said 36.9% of some 20.5 billion emails received by businesses in 2024 were unwanted, with nearly half a billion also containing malicious content.
You can download a free copy of the report here.
Phishing remains the most prevalent type of attack. Deceptive phishing emails were in fact responsible for a third of all cyber-attacks in 2024 — which Hornetsecurity confirmed via analysis of 55.6 billion emails. In addition, malicious URLs and advanced fee scams accounted for 22.7% and 6.4% of attacks respectively.
Nearly every malicious file type saw a decrease compared to last year, but HTML files (20.4%), PDFs (19.2%), and Archive (17.6%) files were still the top three.
A decrease in the use of malicious attachments was countered with a rise in reverse-proxy credential theft attacks through 2024, and a shift toward more targeted social engineering tactics.
Taken together, it all means businesses must remain vigilant, if not in fact improve their cybersecurity posture.
HORNETSECURITY FOR M365 PROTECTION
Its flagship M365 security and email offering, 365 Total Protection, has been ranked as the most comprehensive cloud security offering available for safeguarding M365 — as Hornetsecurity’s extensive channel and managed services partner community can attest.
With over 427 million malicious emails still reaching inboxes, there’s clearly a continued need in 2025 for stronger email security and enhanced user awareness if organisations are to become safe.
There’s also a requirement for a zero-trust mindset. Nothing not known to be safe and authenticated should be treated as such.
With Hornetsecurity, businesses can cover off multiple aspects of data protection, security, compliance, cybersecurity awareness, and backup for M365, enjoying protection against spam, phishing, malware, ransomware, advanced threats and data loss. Email archiving and email business continuity is combined with backup, recovery, compliance and security awareness functionality — manage governance, risk and compliance via one easily deployed solution.
Ready to learn more? Contact Team QBS today.
Email QBS at: [email protected]
Telephone QBS on: +44 (0) 20 8733 7100
