Cloudflare, the internet security and content delivery network service provider, recently announced its intentions to acquire Area 1 Security, a phishing email protection company. This move is a significant step by Cloudflare to help protect its customers against malicious phishing emails.
This article will explore the implications of the acquisition and what it means for users of Cloudflare’s network.
Overview of Cloudflare’s acquisition of Area 1 Security
To strengthen its presence in email security, Cloudflare announced on January 23, 2020 that it would be purchasing Area 1 Security for an undisclosed amount. Through the acquisition, Cloudflare signals its intentions to protect businesses from malicious digital threats by focusing on preventing and detecting phishing emails.
Area 1 Security is known for its technology that uses artificial intelligence backed by machine-learning models to detect malicious messaging.
The partnership with Area 1 Security adds an extra layer of defense for Cloudflare’s customer base. It offers more advanced security solutions such as behavior analysis, anomaly detection and automated incident response. As part of the acquisition, Area 1 Security’s founders Oren Falkowitz and Blake Abernathy will join Cloudflare’s executive team to continue leading the technology integration efforts.
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince stated “We are excited that Oren and Blake have agreed to join us […] Together we will continue investing in our mission to help build a better Internet through more secure networks powered by trustworthy infrastructure.”
The Growing Threat of Phishing Emails
Phishing emails are becoming an increasingly pervasive problem for users of the internet and business organizations alike. These malicious emails, which often appear to come from credible sources, are used to steal data or access accounts.
As the threat of these malicious emails grows, organizations like CloudFlare are turning to companies like Area 1 Security to protect their customers.
This article will explore the growing threat of phishing emails and the measures Cloudflare and other companies take to protect their customers.
How phishing emails work
Phishing emails use deceptive techniques to trick users into giving away sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, credit card details and bank account numbers. Typically they will appear to come from a legitimate source such as a bank or government agency but are sent by criminals hoping to use the information against you.
The emails will often contain links to a website that looks authentic but is malicious. When clicked, this link will either download malicious software or take the user to a fake website set up by the attacker and designed to steal your data. The malicious websites can also be disguised as online surveys or emailed attachments and look virtually identical to legitimate sites.
These attacks often rely on social engineering techniques such as creating urgency or using techniques like baiting which involves the attacker offering something of value in exchange for personal information. Additionally, tactics like “pharming” can be used where malicious code is installed on a server which redirects visitors from an authentic website towards one that is malicious and designed for data harvesting purposes. Recognizing the signs of phishing is essential if you want your data protected and your privacy preserved at all times; understanding how these attacks work can help you in this regard.
The rise of phishing emails
In recent years, the rise of email phishing scams has resulted in large-scale financial and reputational losses for corporations and individuals. Viruses that infect computers through malicious links and attachments embedded in emails disguise themselves as legitimate messages from banks, online retailers, or colleagues on the same network. Some of these “phishing” attacks use email as their main means of communication. In contrast, others target users by spreading malicious websites or links via social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter.
Phishing emails are designed to trick recipients into giving up confidential information such as bank account details or Social Security numbers. To combat this threat, companies must educate employees about the risks of opening emails from unknown senders, clicking suspicious links and downloading suspicious files. Additionally, organizations should implement a comprehensive security program to ensure that all mail from company accounts is regularly monitored for potential threats. Implementing strict control measures such as password policies and two-factor authentication can also help protect corporate data from unauthorized access by cyber attackers.
Cloudflare to Buy Area 1 Security in Push to Protect Against Phishing Emails
Cloudflare recently announced that it has acquired Area 1 Security, a cybersecurity company that focuses on protecting against phishing emails.
The acquisition is seen as a push beyond Cloudflare’s current DDoS protection and website security offerings, into anti-phishing technology.
This article will discuss the implications of this acquisition for Cloudflare and their customers.
Benefits of the acquisition
Cloudflare’s acquisition of Area 1 Security provides numerous benefits to both organizations. Cloudflare will now gain access to Area 1 Security’s impressive and advanced email security technology along with the expertise of their staff, helping them protect customers from cyber threats.
In addition, the acquisition enables Cloudflare to open up a new market, expanding their existing product partnerships.
These benefits are transferred to Cloudflare’s customer base as well – customers will now benefit from the expanded portfolio of products offered by both companies, leading to increased security and protection for business data. In addition, the combined power and knowledge of two industry-leading technology companies provides customers with increased protection across numerous threats, including phishing attacks, ransomware, and other malicious threats.
With this acquisition, Cloudflare can continue their mission of advancing the safety and performance of the internet for users around the world.
How it will help protect against phishing emails
Cloudflare’s acquisition of Area 1 Security provides customers and businesses with comprehensive email security across multiple platforms.
Area 1 Security’s threat-detection technology utilizes an innovative approach to identify malicious links, tracking phishing and fraud attempts while they remain in transit. This powerful combination of human intelligence and machine learning allows effective detection of malicious actors attempting to access accounts via spoofing, malware, or phishing schemes.
In addition to its anti-phishing capabilities, the technology utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to detect spam, ransomware attacks, and other advanced threats. The move will allow Cloudflare customers increased protection against attackers intent on stealing private data or launching damaging attacks.
By combining the expertise of both companies, users can now benefit from more advanced filtering tools that take a proactive approach in guarding their emails from malicious activity.
Conclusion
Cloudflare completed a successful acquisition of Jigsaw this month. By adding the security-focused Jigsaw team and its portfolio of products, Cloudflare is expanding its offerings to help protect customers across the web.
The combination of Cloudflare’s suite of services and Jigsaw’s expertise in online security as protection from online adversaries has been a key factor in the success of this acquisition. In addition, Jigsaw will continue creating innovative products that work with Cloudflare’s existing products. This enhanced product portfolio will improve performance, reliability, security, and access control by leveraging cloud-based authentication and web application firewalls.
Cloudflare is also making significant investments in research and development to expand its capabilities across numerous other areas including distributed services, data analysis, machine learning capabilities, AI-driven cyber mitigation services etc., providing greater protection for customers across the web. Going forward, this acquisition will be a major boon for both companies as they look to push the boundaries of what’s possible with security solutions for an ever-evolving internet landscape.
Impact of the acquisition on security against phishing emails
The impact of acquiring a company with a large risk from phishing emails differs depending on the company. In addition, the security measures that need to be taken to protect against phishing emails may vary, depending on size and location of the acquired company, and the level of security already in place.
Generally, a full review and analysis should be done of all systems that would come under control or ownership of the acquiring firm. Depending on these findings, additional security measures such as installing additional protection software or implementing training programs may need to be implemented.
Furthermore, any processes for handling incoming email with malicious attachment containing links to malicious websites should be analyzed and updated with tighter controls in place if needed. Finally, outbound messaging should be analyzed to ensure appropriate use policies are well understood by management and employees so confidential information is not revealed in emails received from outside sources.
Taking all these measures together ensures that employees coming into contact with suspicious emails contain minimal risk to confidentiality and security within the organization.
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