KnowBe4 adds outbound email security tools for SMBs

KnowBe4 has added two outbound email security features to its Prevent platform, in part to support small and mid-market organisations.

The additions, a DLP Rule Builder and Misdirected Content Analysis, are designed to reduce data loss caused by staff accidentally sending sensitive information outside the organisation. They are intended to give administrators more direct control over outbound email checks without relying on specialist security teams or external services.

Outbound email is becoming a bigger focus for businesses as compliance demands rise and the cost of handling data incidents increases. While much corporate security spending still centres on filtering inbound attacks such as phishing and malware, accidental disclosures through everyday email use remain a persistent source of breaches.

Common errors include messages sent to the wrong recipient and emails containing personal or financial data that should not leave the organisation. The update targets both issues by combining checks on message content with checks on the intended recipient.

New controls

The DLP Rule Builder lets administrators create and manage rules to block unauthorised emails. The system allows businesses to set conditions so a message is stopped only when it contains multiple pieces of sensitive data, an approach intended to reduce false positives that can frustrate staff and slow routine communication.

The feature can also support compliance requirements for handling personal information and financial records. KnowBe4 pointed to regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA and GDPR as examples of the rules organisations may need to reflect in email controls.

The second feature, Misdirected Content Analysis, uses AI to identify when a message may be heading to the wrong person. If it detects a likely mistake, it issues a warning before the email is sent.

The warning appears in context, giving users a chance to review the address and content before sending. The aim is not only to prevent immediate errors but also to reinforce better behaviour over time.

SMB pressure

The launch comes as smaller businesses face growing pressure to manage security and compliance with limited internal resources. Many do not have dedicated security teams, and the cost of deploying and operating specialist data protection systems can be hard to justify.

KnowBe4 argues this has created a gap in outbound email security for small and mid-market organisations, which often have fewer controls than larger enterprises. In Australia, concern over data handling has also intensified as businesses adjust to tighter scrutiny of privacy obligations and cyber resilience.

Average cyber incidents now cost small businesses more than $56,000, according to the company, making preventable errors harder to absorb. That adds to the commercial case for tools that can reduce accidental exposure of sensitive data before an incident becomes reportable or financially damaging.

KnowBe4, which says more than 70,000 organisations worldwide use its products, is best known for security awareness training and attack simulation. Prevent extends that focus into outbound email, where human error can undermine even well-funded security programmes.

Executive view

KnowBe4 positioned the update as a way to make more advanced outbound data protection available to organisations that would otherwise struggle with cost and complexity.

"For small and mid-market organisations, data protection often feels overwhelming, it's expensive, complex, and requires specialised skills," said Greg Kras, Chief Product Officer at KnowBe4.

He said the combined approach addresses both the content of a message and the identity of the recipient.

"KnowBe4 Prevent changes that. We're delivering enterprise-grade protection that combines high-fidelity DLP with AI-powered misdirected content analysis. This dual-layer defence not only gives organisations the autonomy to secure sensitive data like PII and financial records, but it also turns every near-miss into a teachable moment that proactively corrects human behaviour, which is the root cause of most data leaks," Kras said.

The updated Prevent product combines data protection rules with recipient analysis in a single standard outbound security offering. KnowBe4 framed that combination as a practical response to the long-standing problem of employees making simple mistakes with sensitive data.

The release underlines how email remains one of the most common channels for accidental data loss, even as security vendors continue to expand investment in AI-based detection and user guidance.