KnowBe4 launches Teams security tool against phishing

KnowBe4 has launched a messaging security product for Microsoft Teams, extending its threat detection tools beyond email.

The product, KnowBe4 Messaging Security, is designed to help organisations detect and remediate phishing, impersonation and credential theft attempts within Microsoft Teams. It also gives security teams visibility into risks tied to messages from outside the organisation.

The launch reflects a broader shift in the cyber threat landscape as attackers move into workplace messaging platforms that employees often see as trusted internal tools. KnowBe4 cited its phishing threat research, which found that Microsoft Teams is becoming a more prominent target for social engineering attacks.

One concern for corporate security teams is how external access is configured in Teams. In some organisations, users outside the business can contact employees if domain restrictions are not in place, creating a route for attackers to pose as colleagues or IT staff and try to steal login credentials.

The new offering monitors messages from outside the organisation and flags signs of phishing and other social engineering attempts. It also checks for Microsoft Teams settings that allow unrestricted external access and points administrators to steps they can take to tighten those controls.

Another element is a report-only mode that lets administrators test how the detection system performs before switching on automated blocking. This is intended to help security teams assess accuracy before deciding how aggressively to enforce controls inside the messaging platform.

The system also uses a shared block list across email and Microsoft Teams, allowing actors identified as malicious in one channel to be blocked in the other. Messages in Teams are assigned classification tags and risk levels to support triage by administrators.

Channel overlap

The launch highlights how security suppliers are increasingly treating email and workplace chat as part of the same attack surface. For many businesses, Teams has become a routine channel for internal communication, customer conversations and interactions with external partners, making it a useful place for attackers to exploit familiarity and speed.

Security specialists have warned that social engineering can work particularly well in chat environments because short-form messages create urgency and reduce scrutiny. A request that appears to come from an internal support desk or manager may be acted on quickly, especially if users assume messages inside a collaboration tool are more trustworthy than an email arriving from outside the company.

KnowBe4 said the Teams product is intended to close what it sees as a gap between established email security controls and collaboration platforms. The company already sells email security and awareness training products and is seeking to extend those functions across a broader set of communication tools used by employees.

Greg Kras, Chief Product Officer at KnowBe4, said the launch was intended to support collaboration while reducing risk in chat environments.

"KnowBe4 Messaging Security has been launched with the goal of enhancing, not hindering, teamwork," said Greg Kras, Chief Product Officer at KnowBe4. "This provides organisations with a single, unified console that seamlessly secures both email and chat environments, starting with Microsoft Teams. By removing the uncertainty from chat interactions, we empower employees to collaborate confidently. This ensures that both internal and external collaboration drives business value, rather than introducing new liabilities."

Customer backdrop

KnowBe4 also pointed to customer demand for layered security controls as organisations face a rising volume of phishing attempts across different channels. Businesses have long relied on awareness training to help staff identify suspicious emails, but collaboration platforms now require similar attention as attackers adapt their methods.

The company included comments from customer GMMH on the need for more than one line of defence in day-to-day operations. The remarks referred to its existing Defend product rather than the new Teams tool, but they highlight the broader market trend towards combining technical controls with user awareness measures.

"We recognised that one layer is not enough to detect and neutralise the numerous advanced phishing threats targeting GMMH day-to-day work," said Kevin Orritt, Cyber Security Manager at GMMH. "KnowBe4 Defend not only provides an additional layer of defence but also supplements our security awareness training. Defend's clickable banners allow employees to continuously develop their cybersecurity awareness."

KnowBe4 said Messaging Security will be available in June 2026.