Endpoint security firm Secure Computing today launched a new initiative designed to help firms protect against email-related threats such as malware, information leakage and surges in spam volumes.

Stamp (Seven Technologies for Advanced Mail Protection) was set up partly in response to an IDC survey commissioned by Secure Computing which found that 60 per cent of US organisations allow more than five per cent of email spam into their networks. In addition, it found that nearly half suffered email data leaks.

The Stamp programme features a seven-point plan for firms to tackle these challenges, including integrating inbound and outbound security, policy-based encryption, and comprehensive structured and unstructured content scanning.

"This initiative is about bringing back the focus on the inbound threat," said Mike Smart, senior product manager at Secure Computing.

"Effective email systems need to do a lot of things these days, including data control, management and encryption, so we are saying that customers should ask for an integrated solution."

Smart also urged companies to be more agile when considering email security systems, and willing to mix on-premise, hosted and virtualised solutions depending on the type of threats they are designed to address.

As part of the announcement, Secure Computing has also launched a new version of its Secure Mail product featuring zero-hour threat detection, 99 per cent spam detection, enhanced content detection and improved reporting, according to the firm.