Today, we are excited to announce Varonis Interceptor, AI-native email security.

AI has enabled a new breed of email threats that are more deceptive than ever. By mimicking tone, language, branding, and even voice and video, attackers are unleashing automated phishing campaigns that are virtually impossible for humans — or traditional email security tools — to detect.

Organizations need AI to combat malicious AI.

Varonis Interceptor uses several integrated layers of AI analysis to address known tactics and predict never-before-seen threats. This proven approach produces the highest rate of detection on the market, catching advanced business email compromise, social engineering, and phishing attacks that other products simply can’t see.

The landscape has changed. Has your defense?

The first generation of AI-powered email security tools relies too heavily on NLP as a catch-all, and other solutions fail to incorporate behavioral analysis or fully analyze the visual elements of an email for anomalies using AI computer vision. Sophisticated phishing and social engineering threats require a layered approach. 

Interceptor replaces ineffective API-based solutions and augments legacy SEGs with a true multimodal AI strategy. It combines numerous sources of AI-powered analysis to achieve a higher rate of detection and deliver superior protection.

Multimodal AI for email defense in depth

Robust email security solutions must adopt a multimodal approach to effectively detect modern threats. Attackers increasingly use varied techniques — like text manipulation, image-based phishing, and embedded malicious links — to evade traditional filters. 

By combining signals from visual, linguistic, and behavioral analysis, Interceptor can accurately identify and block AI-generated threats. As a result, security teams experience fewer false negatives and positives, eliminating busywork and noise.

Vision Model 

Interceptor’s vision model simulates how users visually experience each email or website to detect subtle signs of deception in the layout, images, and other visual elements. This can include:

• Authenticity of the logo in an email signature or website 

• Attackers’ attempting to hide text by dropping it in as an image 

• QR codes embedded in a PDF or obfuscated as text to avoid image processing

Language Model 

Interceptor’s model is grounded on the tone and linguistic patterns of each sender, including external parties such as vendors and internal communications. Interceptor also analyzes the topic, tone, and intent of messages to detect manipulation triggers common in social engineering attacks. The model is specifically tuned for scenarios where other NLPs struggle: 

• Short messages with very little body or context 

• Mail containing several incoherent topics aimed at deceiving AI 

• Link-less BEC attempts

Behavior Model 

Varonis’ behavior model uses the sender and recipient’s relationship graph and known communication patterns and conversation styles to detect deviations from their baseline. Interceptor can understand a full spectrum of social dynamics:

• Relationship graph and social patterns for internal and external parties 

• Organizational structure and context 

• Conversational styles and common topics  

Applying this layered approach to identifying threats in real time has been proven to outperform other leading providers, such as Abnormal Security and Mimecast. Security teams prioritize detection quality above all else. Varonis Interceptor gives leaders confidence in their defenses and users trust in the inbox.

Detecting zero-hour threats — Interceptor Phishing Sandbox

In addition to AI analysis conducted on messages, Varonis Interceptor proactively scans nearly every newly registered domain and published URL in its phishing sandbox, providing swift and in-depth analysis.

Interceptor’s Phishing Sandbox follows the user’s path to the very end, going past every form fill, CAPTCHA, Cloudflare authentication, and more. As a result, Varonis uncovers any potential attempt to trick users and steal secrets or credentials.

Interceptor is often the first AI to see and analyze the site before any other agent or human in the world. As a result, Varonis blocks malicious domains and URLs 12-24 hours before other solutions in the market and automatically removes mail containing them.

Multichannel protection beyond the inbox — Interceptor Browser Security

Hackers are also flooding users with social engineering attacks across email, messaging, collaboration, and social apps. This requires a solution that spans multiple channels beyond email alone. Interceptor extends to the browser and blocks malicious websites, no matter where the link-based attack originates. 

Most malicious links will slip past controls relying on known threat feeds. Interceptor receives advanced notice from its phishing sandbox and live threat database to stop threats as fast as they start. Interceptor Browser Security shields employees from live phishing sites with a lightweight browser extension available for all major browsers.

End-to-end approach to stop breaches

By offering Varonis Interceptor’s unmatched threat detection with the Varonis Data Security Platform and MDDR service, we are speeding up our ability to stop data breach attempts earlier in the attack chain. 

Varonis integrates directly with email services like Microsoft Exchange Online to classify inbound and outbound traffic containing sensitive information, remediate posture issues on exposed mailboxes, and monitor anomalous email traffic for insider risks using industry-leading behavior analytics. 

The addition of Varonis Interceptor represents a significant advancement in end-to-end email and browser security. By harnessing the power of multimodal AI, it more effectively identifies and mitigates phishing threats than current solutions in the market. Varonis Interceptor allows businesses to confidently protect their inboxes and, subsequently, the sensitive data in their digital estate. 

Join us on Thursday, October 16, to see Interceptor in action live and explore how Varonis enables true AI-powered security outcomes.

Want to see what Interceptor can do faster? Request a demo today.

Sponsored and written by Varonis.