Keepnet's Microsoft Phishing Reporter Button in Ribbon: Simplifying Phishing Defense

Phishing is the leading cyber threat, with 3.4 billion spam emails sent daily, overwhelming inboxes with deceptive messages. Many of these bypass security filters, tricking employees into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive data. For businesses using Microsoft 365, combating phishing requires both awareness and a quick, easy way to report threats.

That’s where Keepnet’s Microsoft Phishing Reporter Button in Ribbon comes in. Fully integrated into Outlook, this tool enables employees to report phishing emails with a single click, strengthening security and accelerating response times. In this blog, we’ll explore how this feature enhances phishing defense for businesses.

What Is the Phishing Reporter Button in Ribbon?

Keepnet’s Phishing Reporter Button is an Outlook add-in that adds a clear, easy-to-access "Report Phishing" button to the ribbon—the toolbar at the top of your email interface. With one click, users can flag suspicious emails, instantly sending them to Microsoft Defender and Keepnet’s Incident Responder for analysis.

This seamless integration eliminates the need for manual forwarding or searching through menus—just one click, and the potential threat is on its way to being neutralized.

The image above shows Keepnet’s Phishing Reporter Button, which is seamlessly integrated into the Outlook ribbon. With just one click, employees can report phishing emails instantly, ensuring faster threat detection and response.

Why a Phishing Report Button in the Ribbon Makes a Difference

Phishing is one of the most common entry points for cyberattacks, with 91% of attacks starting with a phishing email, according to Deloitte. Cybercriminals exploit human error, and if reporting a suspicious email is difficult, employees are less likely to act. Keepnet’s "Report Phishing" button in Outlook’s ribbon simplifies reporting, allowing employees to flag threats with a single click.

Here’s why this feature makes a difference:

• Speed – A single click lets employees report phishing emails instantly, speeding up threat response.
• Visibility – Placed in the Outlook ribbon, the button stays front and center, reinforcing phishing awareness.
• Consistency – Available across desktop, web, and mobile, ensuring easy access wherever employees work.

By making reporting quick and effortless, this feature helps overcome one of the biggest barriers to phishing defense—employee inaction. Many employees fail to report phishing emails despite recognizing the threat due to psychological and workplace factors. To understand why this happens, read Keepnet's article on Why Do Employees Fail to Report Phishing Emails Despite Recognizing the Threat?

This diagram above illustrates how Keepnet’s Phishing Reporter Button improves phishing email reporting by enhancing speed, visibility, and consistency. Making reporting quick, accessible, and user-friendly across platforms encourages employees to take action against threats.

Standout Features of the Phishing Reporter Button

The effectiveness of any security tool depends on how easily and efficiently employees can use it. Keepnet’s Phishing Reporter Button is designed to simplify phishing email reporting, ensuring faster detection and response. With seamless integration into Outlook, it enhances both employee engagement and security team oversight.

This diagram below illustrates the Phishing Reporter Button Cycle, showing how reported emails go through instant reporting, dual-system analysis, simulation insights, user feedback, and admin oversight. By automating and streamlining the reporting process, Keepnet enhances threat detection, employee engagement, and security team efficiency.

Let’s look at what this button brings to the table.

1. Instant Reporting

A single click sends the email to Microsoft Defender for filtering updates and to Keepnet’s Incident Responder for in-depth analysis. Over 20 advanced security engines, including sandboxing and threat intelligence, assess the threat.

2. Dual-System Analysis

Reporting a phishing email triggers two layers of defense—Microsoft enhances its global security. At the same time, Keepnet analyzes the email for organization-specific threats, detecting attack patterns and mitigating risks.

3. Simulation Insights

When used with phishing simulations, the button logs which employees report test emails, providing security teams with actionable insights to refine training and improve awareness—all within Outlook.

4. User Feedback

After reporting, employees receive customized notifications (e.g., “Thanks for reporting!”), reinforcing their role in cybersecurity without disrupting workflow.

5. Admin Oversight

Every report is logged in Keepnet’s dashboard, where security teams can monitor, investigate, and respond to threats instantly, ensuring a centralized and efficient security operation.

Getting Phishing Reporter Up and Running

Setting up the Phishing Reporter Button in your Outlook ribbon is quick and easy:

1. Install the Button – Download and manage Phishing Reporter from your admin console by following the steps outlined in the Keepnet Guide: Phishing Reporter Deployment.
2. Test the Feature – Send a simulated phishing email, click the Ribbon button, and review the results in Keepnet’s dashboard.
3. Deploy Across Platforms – Once activated, the button seamlessly integrates into Outlook’s Ribbon on desktop, web, and mobile, ensuring phishing threats can be reported instantly.

How One Click Stops a Cyberattack

Imagine this: An employee receives an email claiming to be from IT, urging them to reset their password through a suspicious link. Instead of falling for the trap, they click the "Report Phishing" button in the Outlook ribbon.

• Within minutes, Microsoft detects the email as malicious.
• Keepnet’s analysis identifies it as part of a larger phishing campaign.
• Similar emails are automatically removed from other inboxes.
• The employee receives a quick “Great catch!” message, reinforcing positive security behavior.

The impact is real—organizations using Keepnet’s Phishing Reporter Button see phishing reports increase by 82% within 6 months, significantly reducing response times. This proactive approach saves businesses anywhere from $200K to $1.5M in potential breach costs.

Effective phishing reporting is key to stopping cyber threats before they escalate. To learn more about how reporting security incidents enhances security awareness and reduces risks, read the Keepnet article on Reporting Security Incidents: How Security Awareness Drives Success.

Watch the episode of Keepnet Security Awareness Podcast Series to learn more about the role of Phishing Reporter Button.

Why It’s More Than Just a Button

The Phishing Reporter Button in Ribbon is more than a convenience—it’s a shift in security culture. Integrating phishing defense into a tool employees already use daily empowers them to take action without disrupting their workflow. This small addition to the Outlook ribbon delivers big results, combining Microsoft’s broad security reach with Keepnet’s advanced threat analysis.

With phishing attacks becoming more sophisticated in 2025, having an accessible, one-click reporting tool could mean the difference between preventing an attack and suffering a costly breach.

Want to see it in action?

Contact Keepnet for a demo and bring phishing protection straight to your Outlook ribbon today.