In short: Hornetsecurity AI Recipient Validation, listed as 365 AI Recipient Validation, warns Outlook users before they send an email to the wrong person, leave out a usual recipient, include sensitive personal data or reply to a large distribution list. Analysis runs in the local Outlook client and adapts to each user. It is included in 365 Total Protection Plan 4.
What AI Recipient Validation is
Email autocomplete is helpful until it picks the wrong "James". Misdirected emails are a common cause of personal data breaches, and unlike phishing they come from your own staff, so email filters cannot stop them. AI Recipient Validation (AIR-V), which Hornetsecurity lists as 365 AI Recipient Validation, is its answer: a second pair of eyes in Outlook that checks the recipients and content before the message leaves.
It is included in 365 Total Protection Plan 4 and also has its own listing as a governance and compliance service.
What it checks
AIR-V uses machine learning on each user's previous communications and warns when:
- an unintended recipient appears to have been added;
- a recipient who is usually included is missing;
- the email contains sensitive information such as personal data;
- the user is about to reply to a large distribution list.
The user sees the warning immediately and can correct the email or send it anyway. The system learns from those responses, adjusting future warnings so people are not nagged about the same legitimate pattern. Smart Alerts show warnings in a side panel and keep working offline.
Email text and attachments are not sent to Hornetsecurity's servers; the analysis runs in the local Outlook client.
Administration and reporting
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dashboard | Shows the warnings users receive and what they did next |
| Scenario control | Disable specific warning types that do not suit your organisation |
| User exclusions | Exclude users from particular scenarios |
| Trusted domains | Treat partner domains as internal |
The dashboard is useful evidence for data protection work: it shows where near misses happen, which helps target training and demonstrates the measures you have in place under UK GDPR.
How it is licensed and deployed
AI Recipient Validation is included in 365 Total Protection Plan 4, which is licensed per user, and Hornetsecurity also offers it as a separate service.
| Option | Includes AIR-V |
|---|---|
| AI Recipient Validation on its own | Yes, quoted separately |
| 365 Total Protection Plans 1 to 3 | No |
| 365 Total Protection Plan 4 | Yes |
It works for Microsoft 365 users on the latest versions of Outlook for Windows, Mac and the web. An onboarding wizard guides setup, and no MX record or other configuration changes are needed.
Who it suits and how we help
AIR-V suits organisations that email personal or confidential information every day: legal, accountancy, healthcare, HR, education and financial services. Pair it with Email Encryption for messages that must be protected in transit, and with GDPR training for staff.
We roll it out with you, add your partner domains as trusted, switch off any scenarios that do not suit your organisation and review the dashboard with you after the first few weeks. Ask us for a quote.
How Forever Systems supplies your software licences
Forever Systems Ltd supplies business software subscriptions to UK organisations from one account, with one monthly invoice and a UK team who know the products.
- The right edition first time: we check what you need before you buy, so you are not paying for features you will never use
- Monthly or annual terms where the vendor offers them, and help timing renewals and commitments
- Licence changes handled for you: add or remove users, upgrade editions and true-up without starting a new contract
- Deployment and support from engineers who run these products every day, not just a reseller account
- Consolidated billing and renewal reminders so nothing lapses unexpectedly
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations of all sizes.
Need a licence quote or a second opinion on your renewal?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
Does AI Recipient Validation read our emails on Hornetsecurity's servers?
No. Email text and attachments are not transmitted to Hornetsecurity's servers; the analysis takes place in the local Outlook client.
Which versions of Outlook does AI Recipient Validation support?
It is available to Microsoft 365 users on the latest versions of Outlook for Windows, Mac and the web.
Can users still send an email after a warning?
Yes. Users can correct the email or send it anyway, and the system adjusts future warnings based on their responses.
Is AI Recipient Validation included in 365 Total Protection?
It is included in Plan 4. Hornetsecurity also offers it as a separate service for organisations on other plans.