Overview

Targeted Attack Protection (TAP) protects against ransomware and advanced threats that target people and their data via the tools they use to conduct business. TAP features multiple machine learning engines spanning threat classification, composite multistage threats, relationship and communication classification, key employee classification, and evolving page design classification to not only detect new and emerging threats, but also leverage that data to inform future detection.

When observing an organization’s attack profile, security teams must balance the number of incoming threats with each threat’s severity. Users with the highest threat volume do not always represent the users that pose the most risk. Likewise, the lowest threat volume does not always equal the lowest risk as highly targeted threats are often more dangerous than widespread threat campaigns.

TAP customers have access to a unique Attack Index capability that provides security teams with a people-centric view into their organization’s security posture. With Proofpoint’s Attack Index, security administrators gain the unique ability to identify the very attacked people (VAPs) within their company and select policies and controls to better secure those users.

Proofpoint’s Attack Index provides a weighted composite score of all threats sent to an individual in an organization. With this visibility and insight, security teams can tailor their security policies, solutions, and trainings to help mitigate their VAP risk and prioritize where and how to apply controls to protect those most at risk.

TAP consists of three to five levels of sandboxing, culminating in analyst-led or sandbox analysis and forensics. These sandboxes work alongside multiple machine learning engines spanning threat classification, composite multistage threats, relationship and communication classification, key employee classification, and evolving page design classification. This functionality not only detects new and never seen before threats, but also leverages its data to inform future detection.