Detection Method: Sender analysis

Sender analysis helps you assess whether an email is coming from a legitimate sender. By combining machine learning and rules-based logic, this method evaluates sender profiles, looking at things like authentication results, past behavior, and patterns from previous messages.
Sender analysis can help you detect:
  • Impersonation attempts using fake email addresses or domains
  • Suspicious senders with authentication issues (e.g., SPF, DKIM, DMARC failures)
  • Unusual behavior based on historical patterns, like frequent urgent requests
  • Senders linked to known phishing or malware campaigns
  • Changes in sender behavior that could indicate a compromised account
For example, an attacker might try to impersonate a trusted vendor or executive. The email address or domain might look real, but sender analysis can catch issues like failed authentication checks or past suspicious activity, helping you spot these threats before they do damage.
Blog Posts
Credential phishing Charles Schwab account holders with 2FA bypass · Blog · Sublime Security
Credential phishing Charles Schwab account holders with 2FA bypass · Blog · Sublime Security
Hiding a $50,000 BEC financial fraud in a fake email thread · Blog · Sublime Security
Hiding a $50,000 BEC financial fraud in a fake email thread · Blog · Sublime Security
Callback phishing via invoice abuse and distribution list relays · Blog · Sublime Security
Callback phishing via invoice abuse and distribution list relays · Blog · Sublime Security
B2B freight-forwarding scams on the rise to evade financial fraud crackdowns · Blog · Sublime Security
B2B freight-forwarding scams on the rise to evade financial fraud crackdowns · Blog · Sublime Security
Detecting malicious AnonymousFox email messages sent from compromised sites · Blog · Sublime Security
Detecting malicious AnonymousFox email messages sent from compromised sites · Blog · Sublime Security
Talking phish over turkey · Blog · Sublime Security
Talking phish over turkey · Blog · Sublime Security
Hidden credential phishing within EML attachments · Blog · Sublime Security
Hidden credential phishing within EML attachments · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Credential Phishing via Docusign abuse · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Credential Phishing via Docusign abuse · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Callback Phishing via Docusign comment · Blog · Sublime Security
Living Off the Land: Callback Phishing via Docusign comment · Blog · Sublime Security
Adversarial ML: Extortion via LLM Manipulation Tactics · Blog · Sublime Security
Adversarial ML: Extortion via LLM Manipulation Tactics · Blog · Sublime Security
Attack Types (7):
Spam
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
Extortion
Callback Phishing
Malware/Ransomware
Reconnaissance
Tactics & Techniques (24):
Evasion
Image as content
Social engineering
Spoofing
Out of band pivot
Impersonation: Brand
Lookalike domain
Free file host
Free subdomain host
Impersonation: Employee
Free email provider
Open redirect
IPFS
Impersonation: VIP
HTML smuggling
QR code
PDF
Scripting
Encryption
LNK
Exploit
OneNote
Macros
Punycode
Rule Name & Severity
Last Updated
Author
Types, Tactics & Capabilities
Spam: Image as content with hidden HTML element
24m ago
Jan 23rd, 2026
Sublime Security
Spam
Evasion
Image as content
Content analysis
HTML analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/spam-image-as-content-with-hidden-html-element-5de8861f
Service abuse: Adobe legitimate domain with document approval language
17h ago
Jan 23rd, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/service-abuse-adobe-legitimate-domain-with-document-approval-language-237f4da4
Extortion / sextortion (untrusted sender)
22h ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Extortion
Social engineering
Spoofing
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/extortion-sextortion-untrusted-sender-265913eb
Fake voicemail notification (untrusted sender)
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/fake-voicemail-notification-untrusted-sender-74ba7787
Service abuse: Microsoft Power BI callback scam
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Out of band pivot
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/service-abuse-microsoft-power-bi-callback-scam-7a55388e
Brand impersonation: Dropbox
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Content analysis
File analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-dropbox-61f11d12
Callback phishing via calendar invite
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Social engineering
Evasion
File analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/callback-phishing-via-calendar-invite-95c84360
Callback phishing in body or attachment (untrusted sender)
1d ago
Jan 22nd, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Out of band pivot
Social engineering
Content analysis
File analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/callback-phishing-in-body-or-attachment-untrusted-sender-b93c6f94
Brand impersonation: AuthentiSign
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
BEC/Fraud
Impersonation: Brand
Lookalike domain
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-authentisign-445a8c8b
Brand impersonation: Blockchain[.]com
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Lookalike domain
Social engineering
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-blockchaincom-0d85e555
Link: Self-sent message with quarterly document review request
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Credential Phishing
Social engineering
Evasion
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/link-self-sent-message-with-quarterly-document-review-request-3c42cec6
Job scam with specific salary pattern
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/job-scam-with-specific-salary-pattern-af7f9e21
Brand impersonation: Fake Fax
2d ago
Jan 21st, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Image as content
Free file host
Free subdomain host
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Optical Character Recognition
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-fake-fax-2a96b90a
Brand impersonation: USPS
3d ago
Jan 20th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Image as content
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-usps-28b9130a
Impersonation: Internal corporate services
3d ago
Jan 20th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Employee
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/impersonation-internal-corporate-services-3cd04f33
Brand impersonation: Xodo Sign
7d ago
Jan 16th, 2026
Sublime Security
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-xodo-sign-e6139052
Service abuse: GetAccept callback scam content
7d ago
Jan 16th, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Out of band pivot
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/service-abuse-getaccept-callback-scam-content-7ec2f70b
BEC: Employee impersonation with subject manipulation
7d ago
Jan 16th, 2026
Sublime Security
BEC/Fraud
Impersonation: Employee
Social engineering
Content analysis
Natural Language Understanding
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/bec-employee-impersonation-with-subject-manipulation-9adfc77b
Brand impersonation: Quickbooks
8d ago
Jan 15th, 2026
Sublime Security
Callback Phishing
Credential Phishing
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Computer Vision
Content analysis
Header analysis
Sender analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/brand-impersonation-quickbooks-4fd791d1
Spam: Commonly observed formatting of unauthorized free giveaways
9d ago
Jan 14th, 2026
Sublime Security
Spam
Impersonation: Brand
Social engineering
Content analysis
HTML analysis
Sender analysis
URL analysis
/feeds/core/detection-rules/spam-commonly-observed-formatting-of-unauthorized-free-giveaways-8bc49fa3
Page 1 of 25