KnowBe4 is partnering with Microsoft to tackle a growing problem in cybersecurity. Email-based attacks are getting more advanced, and even strong defenses like Microsoft 365 are not always enough on their own. That is where this new integration comes into play.
The collaboration connects KnowBe4 Defend directly to Microsoft Defender for Office 365, including access to Microsoft’s quarantine system. It is part of a new effort from Microsoft called ICES, short for Integrated Cloud Email Security. This new vendor ecosystem is meant to bring together top tools in the industry and make them work better together.
With this integration, KnowBe4 is not trying to replace Microsoft’s existing protections. Instead, Defend is designed to add an extra layer. It uses what KnowBe4 calls “agentic AI” to detect threats that may not be caught by Microsoft’s own systems. If Defend spots something suspicious, the message can now be quarantined automatically using Microsoft’s own tools. That means security teams stay within the same console they already use, with less need to switch between systems or juggle separate data.
Today’s cyberattacks are more complex than ever. Threats like spear-phishing, business email compromise, and even zero-day exploits have become more common. No single tool catches everything. That is why KnowBe4 and Microsoft believe a layered defense is the smarter path forward.
KnowBe4 brings deep knowledge of human risk and phishing tactics, while Microsoft provides strong infrastructure and broad threat intelligence. Combined, they offer more coverage. If one system misses something, the other may still catch it. That overlap helps reduce the chances of a threat slipping through the cracks.
Security teams also benefit from less clutter. Once this system is in place, teams can manage everything from inside their existing Microsoft setup. Defend’s analysis shows up right where admins already work, making it easier to act fast and respond with fewer delays.
This approach also respects how companies already operate. Many organizations have invested heavily in Microsoft 365, and this integration builds on that. There is no need to toss out working systems or start from scratch. The integration gives customers a way to improve their defenses without adding too much complexity.
KnowBe4 and Microsoft have worked together before. Tools like the Phish Alert Button in Outlook are already helping users report threats. This new move goes even further by offering automated detection and quarantine, all behind the scenes.
The message is clear. Security in 2025 is not about picking sides. It is about bringing strong solutions together in a way that makes sense. By joining forces, KnowBe4 and Microsoft are showing how collaboration can improve protection without sacrificing simplicity.
