Proofpoint vs Abnormal Security -- Email Security Compared
Abnormal Security represents a fundamentally different approach to email security compared to Proofpoint. While Proofpoint operates as a full secure email gateway that inspects content, URLs, and attachments, Abnormal uses behavioral AI to detect anomalies in communication patterns. Abnormal excels at catching socially-engineered attacks that contain no malicious payloads, while Proofpoint provides broader protection across the full spectrum of email threats. Many organizations deploy Abnormal as a supplementary layer behind Proofpoint to catch what the gateway misses.
Choose Abnormal Security if BEC and social engineering are your top concerns and you want the best AI-powered behavioral detection, especially as a layer on top of an existing gateway. Choose Proofpoint if you need a comprehensive email security platform that covers the full threat spectrum plus DLP, archiving, and compliance in a single solution.
| Feature | Abnormal Security | Proofpoint |
|---|---|---|
| BEC Detection | Industry-leading behavioral AI | Strong behavioral analysis and threat intel |
| Malware Detection | Limited — not primary focus | Advanced sandboxing and URL analysis |
| Deployment | API-based, no MX changes | MX record redirect (gateway model) |
| False Positives | Very low — identity-based detection | Low but higher on bulk/marketing email |
| Email Archiving | Not available | Enterprise archiving and compliance |
| DLP | Not available | Email DLP with policy enforcement |
| Vendor Fraud | Specialized supply chain detection | Basic impersonation detection |
| Platform Scope | Supplementary email security layer | Full email security platform |
Common questions about choosing between Proofpoint and Abnormal Security.
Abnormal Security represents a fundamentally different approach to email security compared to Proofpoint. While Proofpoint operates as a full secure email gateway that inspects content, URLs, and attachments, Abnormal uses behavioral AI to detect anomalies in communication patterns. Abnormal excels at catching socially-engineered attacks that contain no malicious payloads, while Proofpoint provides broader protection across the full spectrum of email threats. Many organizations deploy Abnormal as a supplementary layer behind Proofpoint to catch what the gateway misses.
Choose Abnormal Security if BEC and social engineering are your top concerns and you want the best AI-powered behavioral detection, especially as a layer on top of an existing gateway. Choose Proofpoint if you need a comprehensive email security platform that covers the full threat spectrum plus DLP, archiving, and compliance in a single solution.
Abnormal Security pricing: Custom pricing / per-user licensing. Proofpoint pricing: Custom enterprise pricing / per-user licensing. Abnormal Security's pricing model is per-user subscription, while Proofpoint uses per-user subscription pricing.
Yes, you can migrate from Proofpoint to Abnormal Security. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.
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