KnowBe4 has launched email and collaboration security protection for Google Workspace through its Defend product, according to an announcement by the company. The release extends KnowBe4’s existing email security offering to Google’s workplace platform, which serves more than three billion users worldwide. The software is designed to support small businesses, mid-market customers, and large enterprises alike.
Behavioral AI Model Targets Complex Workspace Threats
At the center of the product is a behavioral AI model trained on more than 1.15 billion daily event signals and 16 years of behavioral data, according to KnowBe4. The system analyzes messages across several intent signals simultaneously. This multi-layered approach helps identify advanced threats such as business email compromise (BEC), zero-payload phishing, and prompt injection attacks that often bypass native platform controls.
Real-Time Coaching Turns Incidents Into Training
When the service detects a risky email, it sends immediate warnings to the intended recipient. According to KnowBe4, these notices turn live security incidents into teachable moments for employees at the exact point of risk. Furthermore, if a malicious variant is confirmed, the product integrates directly with the company’s PhishER Plus system to search for and remove matching threats across Gmail inboxes. According to the firm, that remediation process finishes in under two minutes.
Did you know? Ahead of the commercial rollout, an early adopter program tested the software in live customer environments, where it processed 539,384 emails, according to company figures.
Early Adopter Data and Executive Perspective
Across the early deployments, the Defend system flagged 810 dangerous threats, equating to one in every 666 emails, according to KnowBe4 data. The platform also identified 5,491 suspicious threats that had already passed Google’s native protections. Greg Kras, Chief Product Officer at KnowBe4, noted that the release combines protection and user education into a single layer. “Google empowers productivity and collaboration. KnowBe4 protects the digital workforce,” Kras said.
“We are bringing explainable, multi-engine AI detection and real-time coaching together in a single, API-native layer, so every blocked threat also becomes a teachable moment,” Kras added.
Market Context and Operational Impact
The product release enters a growing market for email and collaboration security, as vendors look to supplement built-in platform controls. Security suppliers increasingly emphasize training users during live events rather than relying solely on periodic awareness courses. Existing users have reported tangible operational value from the software. Mark Burtenshaw, ICT manager security and compliance, The City of Edinburgh Council cited by the company, stated that the dashboard statistics prove valuable daily and that warning banners have increased employee vigilance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What platforms does KnowBe4 Defend support?
The Defend product now supports Google Workspace, extending its existing email security offerings to Google’s workplace platform.
How does the AI model detect threats?
According to KnowBe4, the system uses a behavioral AI model trained on over 1.15 billion daily event signals and 16 years of behavioral data to evaluate multiple intent signals simultaneously.
What happens when a risky email is detected?
The system sends an immediate warning to the recipient for real-time coaching, and if confirmed malicious, integrates with PhishER Plus to remove matching threats from Gmail inboxes in under two minutes.
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