It’s 2024, and yet here we are, still obsessing over Secure Email Gateways (SEGs) like they’re the ultimate savior of our cybersecurity woes. Every big-name cybersecurity company is still pushing them like it’s the only thing standing between us and total data disaster. Meanwhile, the hackers? They’ve moved on to greener, more vulnerable pastures. But hey, let’s just keep reinforcing that front door while the back gate is wide open.

For years, email was the golden goose of attack vectors. Phishing emails were the main act, with hackers relentlessly spamming inboxes and tricking people into clicking on malicious links. In 2018, a whopping 92% of cyberattacks came from email. It made sense back then to focus on email security. But guess what? That number has plummeted to around 64% in just five years. Yet, we’re still sinking millions of dollars into SEGs like it’s 2010. 🚪🔒

The real question is: Why are we so obsessed with email gateways? Sure, they used to be important. But at this point, it’s like we’re building a 12-foot fence around our front door while burglars casually stroll through the back, waving at us as they leave with our stuff. Phishing emails are just one piece of the puzzle now, but cybersecurity companies continue to treat them like they’re the whole game. Newsflash: the game has changed.

While we’ve been busy reinforcing our email gateways, hackers have gotten a lot more creative. They’ve shifted their focus to social media, collaboration tools, and cloud-based platforms. Ever gotten a suspicious LinkedIn request or a dodgy Zoom invite? Yeah, that’s where the real action is happening now. Hackers know that businesses are spending a fortune guarding their email inboxes, so they’ve moved on to easier targets. They’re evolving while we’re still stuck in the past, hoping our email gate will protect us from threats that have already bypassed it.

Think about it: Do we really need to keep pretending SEGs are the silver bullet to cybersecurity? Sure, they help. But they’re only addressing a shrinking part of the problem. The criminals are way ahead of us. They’ve developed the cyber equivalent of next-gen threats, while we’re still here trying to patch up issues from a decade ago. It’s like using a Nerf gun to stop a missile—good luck with that! 😏

At this point, focusing solely on email security is like investing all your money in Blockbuster stocks when Netflix is already winning the game. Hackers are no longer exclusively living in your inbox. They’re in your DMs, your cloud storage, and your video calls. We can’t afford to keep pretending email gateways are the end-all-be-all of protection.

If businesses don’t start broadening their approach to cybersecurity, they’ll keep wondering why their fancy new SEGs didn’t prevent the next big breach. The reality is, hackers have moved beyond email, and it’s high time we did, too. It’s not about protecting the front door anymore—it’s about safeguarding the entire house.